More Than 80 Grizzlies Dead In Greater Yellowstone As Calls To Protect Them Grow
More than 80 grizzly bears have died in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem this year, prompting conservation organizations to call for continued federal protections as the current administration pursues changes that could leave more bears vulnerable to being killed.
In a November 3 joint statement, conservation groups reported that at least 50 of those deaths were caused by humans, with another 15 under investigation at the time. Each death represents a life cut short in the very landscape these bears depend on for survival.
For World Animal News and Peace 4 Animals, this issue feels especially personal. During our recent trip to Yellowstone National Park to film Protectors of the Wild, our documentary about Yellowstone’s wolves, we witnessed three grizzly bears in the wild. Seeing them in their natural habitat reinforced our commitment to protecting the animals who share this extraordinary landscape.
During our visit, we were deeply concerned to see a sign calling for grizzlies to be delisted while celebrating their recovery as a conservation success story. Their recovery should strengthen our commitment to keeping them safe in the wild, not serve as justification for stripping away the federal protections that helped them survive.
According to the National Park Service, the Greater Yellowstone grizzly population grew from an estimated 136 bears in 1975 to approximately 1,030 in 2024. That estimate covers the broader ecosystem, not just Yellowstone National Park. Their recovery is meaningful, but WAN and Peace 4 Animals believe grizzlies must remain protected under federal law.
Grizzlies in the lower 48 states remain listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In July, the administration proposed revising the species’ section 4(d) rule, which sets protections and exceptions for a threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the proposal would give states greater management authority as specified conservation milestones and population objectives are met, including flexibility for lethal and nonlethal responses to conflicts.
The proposal would not itself remove grizzlies’ threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. However, conservation organizations warn that it could weaken safeguards while the bears remain formally listed. As of November 9, the agency’s rulemaking page states that no final rules have been published.
“Record high grizzly deaths show bears need more protection, not less, as they continue expanding their range and attempt to reoccupy the places they once freely roamed,” said Adam Rissien, rewilding manager with WildEarth Guardians. “It is no surprise conflicts are increasing and more grizzlies are getting killed. Bears are having to search for more food in more places because of shorter winters, more severe summer heat and drought, and a steep drop in whitebark pine nuts that they’ve historically relied on for a substantial portion of their fall diet.”
“Dead grizzlies are the predictable price of putting more cattle in grizzly country,” said Patrick Kelly, Montana director for Western Watersheds Project. Kelly identified livestock conflict as the leading cause of grizzly deaths in Greater Yellowstone this year.
“With this many deaths occurring year after year, it’s obvious that we still have a long way to go before we can say we are doing a good job of properly coexisting with grizzly bears,” said Kristin Combs, executive director for Wyoming Wildlife Advocates. “Much more needs to be done to reduce human-caused conflicts. It’s no secret that Wyoming intends to allow more grizzlies to be killed so removing protections would add more deaths to an already beleaguered population. Because grizzlies are so slow to reproduce, this could undo decades of recovery work.”
Yellowstone offers practical examples of how to help bears survive alongside people. The National Park Service uses bear-resistant food storage, secure garbage containers, and visitor education to reduce conflicts.
Protecting their future requires safe habitat and a sustained commitment to preventing conflicts. For WAN and Peace 4 Animals, the grizzlies we witnessed in Yellowstone are a powerful reminder of why this work matters. They deserve the chance to live wild, raise their young, and remain part of this landscape for generations to come.
