As an animal lover, I am truly disheartened to learn that The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is  proposing to strip away Endangered Species Act protections for the iconic grizzly bears that live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, essentially leaving their future in the hands of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming wildlife managers and opening up a trophy hunting season on them.

With the senseless trophy killing of the beloved ‘’Cecil the Lion’’ in Africa fresh in my mind, it is deeply troubling to me that our own country would open season on a species whose population needed ESA protections. 

Contrary to what the USFWS claims, grizzly bears are far from recovered and human-caused mortality is the single-largest contributor to bear deaths. 

When asked, 60 percent of prominent grizzly bear scientists “believe delisting would be an incorrect decision…”

U.S. Grizzly bears still need ESA protection to ensure they survive and thrive in the  future. 

I believe the majority of the American public wants grizzly bears protected for future generations, not killed by a few trophy hunters so they can mount and stuff them. 

If you agree, tell the USFWS to keep the Yellowstone grizzly bear on the endangered species list.

JoAnn Winkhart

New Hyde Park