Advocates take legal action to prevent grizzly bear deaths at bait stations

“Idaho is violating the Endangered Species Act when it issues licenses to black bear hunters to use bait sites in grizzly bear habitat,” said Greg LeDonne, Idaho director of the Western Watersheds Project. “This not only puts grizzly bears at risk of being accidentally killed when they are mistaken for black bears, but also puts them at risk of becoming habituated to human food sources and being killed when they exhibit disruptive behavior.”

“Bear baiting is costing grizzly bears their lives in the Northern Rockies and robbing the wild of these remarkable animals,” said Lizzy Pennock, carnivore coexistence advocate with WildEarth Guardians. “The state of Idaho is putting grizzly bears in unacceptable danger, jeopardizing their prospects for recovery, and leading to tragic, preventable, illegal, and all too predictable deaths like the incident we saw in Saint Maries last month.”

“After decades of persecution, grizzly bears in Idaho are finding their way home,” said Dana Johnson, attorney and policy director for Wilderness Watch. “Instead of celebrating their return and doing everything possible to ensure their safe travel and existence, Idaho continues to allow the luring and killing of black bears in areas where grizzly bears live and roam. The recent killing of a grizzly bear by a black bear hunter was tragic and entirely preventable. We are filing this notice of intent to sue to ensure this does not happen again.”

“Allowing a pile of food or other greasy bait to be spread on public land sends a message that runs counter to the ‘leave no trace’ ethic,” said Jeff Juel of Friends of the Clearwater. “Bear baiting also strains the notion of what constitutes ethical ‘fair chase’ in hunting,” he added.

Today’s notice of intent to sue gives the state 60 days to remedy the situation before the groups file suit. The Western Environmental Law Center sent the letter on behalf of WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Project, Wilderness Watch and Friends of the Clearwater.

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