Mountain Goats, Black Bears, and… Grizzlies? Oh My!
By Lauren Grady, Marine Biology ‘25
Two grizzly bears in Denali National Park, Alaska (Image credit: Denali National Park and Preserve).
Late last year, the Biden administration announced plans to reintroduce grizzly bears into the northern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Once home to a large population of these bears, grizzlies are now virtually extirpated from the area due to decades of hunting and habitat fragmentation. The historical range of the grizzly bear reaches central Mexico, but their currently occupied range only covers a small portion of northern Washington, western Canada, and Alaska. Washington’s proposed recovery zone spans from Cle Elum up to the U.S.-Canada border, and the U.S. government hopes that the reintroduced American bears will also help replenish some of the Canadian grizzly population.
If grizzly bears haven't inhabited this area for decades, why bring them back now? Returning grizzly bears to some of their historical range could bring numerous environmental benefits. For instance, grizzly bears manage overabundant deer populations and aid local flora by spreading berry seeds through their foraging habits and nitrogen via their droppings. Grizzly bears also stimulate wildflower growth as their claws dig up and aerate soil. All of these are potential ecological benefits of reintroducing grizzlies to the North Cascades.
Despite these benefits, some argue that grizzlies’ reintroduction will bring more harm than good. Individuals like Rep. Dan Newhouse from Central Washington have expressed distaste for Biden’s reintroduction proposal, citing concern for increased human-bear encounters. While these concerns are legitimate, organizations like the National Park Service already have bear safety guidelines in place for existing grizzly zones. In addition, hunters argue that bears will disrupt the current ecosystem by decimating deer populations. However, because the current reintroduction plan calls for only a few bears per year, supporters posit that ecosystem disruptions are unlikely.
Managers also worry that grizzly bear reintroduction may be unsuccessful, as they have not occupied the North Cascades in large numbers for decades. However, numerous species reintroduction success stories fuel optimism, including sea otters on Washington’s outer coast, California condors, and bighorn sheep. These case studies have produced steady population growth and numerous environmental benefits for local ecosystems – though, it is important to note that grizzly bears pose greater danger to humans than most other reintroduced species.
Despite potential downsides and uncertainties, returning grizzly bears to their native habitat is recognized as a crucial step in restoring their decimated populations and baseline North Cascades ecosystems. Protecting grizzly bear habitat and minimizing human-bear interactions are critical steps to ensure successful reintroduction, as is listening to opinions of those living in the proposed reintroduction area. The federal government has already hosted a period for public comment on the reintroduction plan, and will continue to do so as time progresses. If successful, the reintroduction of the grizzly bear could not only provide ecosystem benefits, but bring forth a newfound view on the protection of this top predator species.