There was also a lot of concern over off-road vehicle issues. These issues are also 

 currently being addressed through the forest planning process and others. FWP will 

 work with those agencies to ensure that adequate monitoring programs are developed, 

 both within and outside the PCA, and enforcement programs are also implemented. 

 Clearly the advances in ORV technology have created the need for better management 

 programs to address this issue. We intend to work with various interests including the 

 local groups identified in the plan to address these issues. 



Delisting: There were comments received either in support or opposition to delisting 

 the grizzly bear in this area from the Federal Endangered Species Act. The issue of 

 delisting is not addressed in this plan because the listing or delisting of species is a 

 separate federal process overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWP 

 developed this plan to address how our bear management program would look should 

 the species be delisted in this area. USFWS will have to address many other issues in 

 addition to this plan in any proposal to delist this population. The delisting process is an 

 open public process, and there will be opportunities for public input should a change in 

 status be prepared. 



Genetic Concerns: Comments indicated that some people were concerned about the 

 genetic status of the population due to its isolation from other grizzly bear populations. 

 There was concern this population is or could suffer from potential in-breeding. The 

 current science around this issue is the subject of some debate. Current information 

 indicates that a population of 400 or more individuals would be necessary to minimize 

 possible genetic problems with this population. FWP will work with other states and 

 agencies to maintain a minimum of more than 400 bears in the greater Yellowstone 

 area. Current total population estimates are already above this level. Also, because 

 this plan seeks to provide for expansion and potential linkage of this population to 

 others in the long term, the genetic concerns could greatly diminish in the future. FWP 

 will monitor the genetic status of the population with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study 

 Team (IGBST) so that a timely response could be implemented should it become 

 necessary. 



Remove Sheep Allotments or other Livestock from Occupied Grizzly Bear Habitat: 



The conservation strategy that covers the PCA specifically addresses phasing out 

 sheep allotments as opportunities arise. However, as bears have and will continue to 

 expand well beyond the PCA, they will encounter additional sheep allotments. It is 

 counter productive to efforts of building tolerance for bear expansion, to single out the 

 sheep industry for elimination in areas of expanded bear occupancy. A more 

 productive approach to nurturing tolerance for expanded bear occupancy is to work with 

 individual producers to develop specific management practices that allow for 

 coexistence. If woolgrowers are specifically targeted for elimination in areas bears are 

 expanding into, Montana will meet a zone of no tolerance which will translate directly 

 into artificially limiting future bear expansion. FWP feels programs that implement 

 management techniques such as guard dogs, sanitation, etc., in combination with 

 removing livestock-killing bears, will be a more productive approach in building 

 tolerance for expanded bear distribution. However, in situations where it is mutually 



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