US judge blocks controversial grizzly bear hunt near Yellowstone National Park

A US judge on Thursday blocked the opening of grizzly bear hunts that were set to take place this weekend around Yellowstone National Park for the first time in 40 years.

The ruling by US District Judge Dana Christensen, of Montana, marked a victory for wildlife advocates and Native American tribes that had sought to stop the controversial hunt scheduled to open in Idaho and Wyoming on Saturday.

“This is a pretty major victory and we are nothing short of elated,” said Melissa Thomasma, executive director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocate. “The hunt was controversial from the beginning and we have been firmly opposed to it from the start.”

The Crow Indian Tribe and several other Native American tribes filed suit last year against the US Fish and Wildlife Service over its decision to remove protections for about 700 grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains on the grounds they were no longer an endangered species.

Christensen heard arguments in the case on Thursday and issued a temporary restraining order for 14 days while mulling whether the federal government should reinstate federal protections for the bears.

“As we explained to the judge today, the removal of protections for Yellowstone’s iconic grizzlies was illegal,” said Tim Preso, an attorney for Earthjustice, which is representing several conservation groups and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. “The bears should not be killed in a hunting season made possible by an illegal government decision.”