"Why I'm Fighting to Protect America's Last Grizzlies"

John L.
Melbourne , FL

I consider the grizzly bear as an equal to the bald eagle as a symbol of our country.  The grizzly is representative of the wild and free spirit that symbolizes the United States of America and its people.  I have never had the opportunity to view one in the wild or even a zoo. I am 72 years old and still have the dream to see one in my lifetime, and that they are still around for my grandchildren and their children to see in the wild. Everything in nature has a purpose.  When one becomes extinct, it affects the whole ecological balance of nature.  We must remember that as each thing in nature disappears, we are one step closer to our own extinction.

Minet V.
South Africa

I live in South Africa and have had the privilege to see lions and tigers... but bears only in a zoo. And even the big brown bear in the zoo was majestic and fierce and filled me with fear looking at it.  I can only imagine encountering one in its proper environment where it is unencumbered by fencing and where it can hunt freely.  Then again, I do hope I am safely in my car when that happens, like when I went to see the lions. Keeping the big carnivores safe in their environment is very important:  if the last link in the food chain is t hriving, it really implies everything else is too.  Everything influences everything else.

Lisa Z.
Holbrook, NY

The future of grizzly bears is important to me for more than just the obvious ecosystem reasons. I have never seen one in the wild. I am legally blind, and they are working on a cure to the condition I have. Hopefully in my lifetime I will see normally. When I do, I intend to see all the animals in the wild that I've imagined seeing all my life! Grizzlies are on the list! The hope of this keeps me positive about the future. So please save them!!

Fred S.
Oxford, OH

I am of Shawnee descent and a caretaker of stories. Although the Bureau of Indian Affairs does not recognize us due to our not having signed a treaty, our culture is very much alive in Ohio. The following is a story that has been handed down to me from the Elders.

The grandfathers and grandmothers tell us that in the time before this there were great monsters that walked upon the Earth. This is known to be true because sometimes their huge bones are found sticking from the stream banks. During this time, all people were afraid, for you never knew when you stepped from your home if there might not be a monster waiting there to gobble you up.

One day a Shawnee man stood up and called out to Kijimanitou, the Maker, "Give me strength, and I will fight all of the monsters; kill them all." Kijimanitou gave that man strength, and he fought all of the monsters. Killed them all. Except one, the great bear.

They came together and fought for many, many days. But their strength was the same. Trees fell. Streams ran backward. Mountains shook. Still, their strength was the same.

Then the bear slipped and fell. The man wounded him, but before he could jump back, the great bear's claws reached out, and he wounded the man. They stood there and looked fiercely at each other.

Suddenly, the bear spoke! "Brother, it's enough! You bleed. I bleed. You are strong. I am strong. Together, we would be very strong."

From that day, we have been brothers. Each gives life to the other. And he gave us a gift, the scar. Whenever we paint it, we remember who we are and how we are to live. We remember that there was a time when there was only fear, only death. We remember that life must give to life, that we cannot take more than we will give. We remember that there are those in this world who are equal to the human beings.

Bev H.
Altadena, CA

If we can't save something as precious as an entire species of bear, what does that say of our ability to save any living thing or accomplish any positive achievements? I would not want to live in this country were it not for the fact that there are millions of people who understand that when we help any part of the ecosystem, we help every part.

Beverly C.
Anchorage, AK

The bear has always been a part of what makes the West the West in the U.S.  The bear is at the top of the food chain and deserves respect.  The grizzly helps keep humans humble.  It reminds us of the wilderness from which we have emerged and which now depends on us to respect.  When we loose this magnificent animal we have lost a part of ourselves. The grizzly bear is a symbol, an icon, a totem. The bear deserves the right to live as much as any creature on this planet.  To allow them to vanish is to cut off a part of who we are.

My family has lived and worked in Alaska for 4 generations although I grew up in Washington State.  I have lived here for over 30 years.  The bears here are part of what makes this place Alaska.  I love to get out in the wilderness here, and in many areas one must be very wary of the bears.  But I have been hiking and fishing for the past 15 years and I have never had a bad encounter although there is certainly the possibility and it does happen in rare occasions.  I have seen bears from a safe distance and want to see them someday at the McNeil River Sanctuary.  Here we literally have bears killing moose calves in people’s driveways but we realize that they were here first.  We are encroaching on their homes, not vice versa.

Finally all I have to say is that when Yellowstone was set aside is was intended to be a sanctuary for all therein.  We must honor that intention.

Deanna R.
Palmdale, CA

I work for a wildlife sanctuary where we provide sanctuary to several grizzly bears, among many other wild animals that have no where else to go. Two of them were orphaned as cubs, their mother shot by hunters, and another one was privately ‘owned’ and I think used in the entertainment industry. Three of his tendons on each front foot were severed so that he cannot curl his toes and grasp. He wobbles around flat-footed. Huckleberry is his name, Huck for short, and he captured my heart from the first glance. Although he receives excellent care it breaks my heart that he and the other grizzly girls cannot be set free to live out their lives in the wild wilderness.

These bears are so beautiful and majestic and they belong in the wild. We need to protect their habitat and the species so that hopefully no other grizzly will have to live out their lives in a sanctuary but are able to roam free in the mountains they call home.

Deborah M.
New Zealand

I grew up in California, and spent summers up in the Sierras around an area called Bass Lake. Don't know if grizzlies ever were around there, but certainly bears were plentiful in and around Yosemite. I want a world that still has wild bears in it. I don't want my grandkids to only know about bears through the Animal Planet. Here in New Zealand we don't have bears, but I want them to survive in the States despite the Bush administration.

Terry P.
Kansas City, MO

I want to help ensure a future for America's grizzly bears because they are one of the most majestic of the native North American predators. They are dangerous, colorful, exciting, and interesting. And they are so symbolic of our wilderness heritage. The grizzly is a living part of our own history. And besides, every species has a right to live!

Renee S.
Seattle, WA

First of all, grizzly bears play an important role in helping to maintain the ecologic health and well being of Yellowstone National Park. They are part of a fragile ecosystem that we seem to be learning more and more about all of the time. Didn't we originally set aside Yellowstone as a National Park so every generation forward could come and experience its unique and awesome beauty? Didn't we promise to protect it in its natural state? The grizzly was always a part of what we define as Yellowstone.

Grizzly bears are not only important members of our biosphere, they also symbolize important things. To me, they symbolize the amazing and vast wilderness of North America, the strength and character of its people, and the grand and spectacular beauty that has always made it different than any other place in the world. I'd like to think that in our souls as Americans, we are like the grizzly, strong, proud, free and wild at heart.

These are some of the reasons why I want to help ensure that there is a safe and healthy future for American grizzlies.

Alyssa P.
Brooklyn, NY

I could launch into my personal feelings about grizzlies and my wants to protect them but I believe the larger picture is what is at stake. Every animal has its place in maintaining balance and order in nature. And, every animal has a right to live in that place. We all want a safe home and stability. Suffice it to say, the same holds true for the grizzly... the gray wolves, the beluga whales, and so on. Personally, I don't think our government is capable of making sensible decisions these days. Thank goodness for the likes of the NRDC and other organizations who are doing their best to protect what is not ours to destroy.

Mark W.
Pittsburgh, PA

I have seen grizzlies in the wild and they are the epitome of force, strength and speed. I can't imagine the Earth without them. Even though for the most part they are herbivores I believe they do help keep nature in balance and contribute to our environment overall. They are a natural part of our world and our world was meant for them long before it was meant for us. They are an intricate part of the cycle of life and without them the cycle is incomplete.

Zara P.
Missouri

I would like to see the grizzly bears survive because when my grandparents went to Yellowstone and Alaska, they saw several grizzly bears. I was unable to go with them, and I would like for the grizzly bears to survive for myself and future generations to see as well. They are a valuable part of the environment that it would be very sad to see go extinct. Also, I do not like to see any species go extinct when it could have remained alive through people's hard work and support.

Wendy M.
Shelton, WA

The world is getting very small. The exponential growth of the human population t hreatens all other life on the planet if not managed with foresight and careful planning. We can see it in all of our communities no matter how small: growth is inevitable. SO ... what do we want our future to look like? Shall all animals be found only in zoos so that we forget what "wild" is? Or shall we maintain an understanding and protection of diversity, acknowledging its very real impact on our own viability. I believe that to squelch other life forms in order to feed a rampant human growth is deadly to humanity itself. To protect the great bears is to believe that the future can be balanced, that greed can be conquered by respect, and for those who believe in God, a respect for God's creations beyond our own self-interest. I saw the great brown bears in Alaska. I grew quiet with awe to see them (from the train - leaving them to their wilds). My children and my grandchildren and all the generations that follow, should not be robbed of this opportunity.

Tom H.
Concord, NH

It's about wildness. WE MUST PRESERVE WILDNESS, period. I have been in a very black tunnel that was long and curved t hrough a mountain on the railroad track from Fairbanks to Alaska. In that tunnel with no vision at all, not even a glint of the shiny single track rail line, I had an experience of a lifetime with wildness. Had I not decided to walk on the ties between the rails, I easily could have become fodder in a short heartbeat. This area is very close to Mt. McKinley and I was working on that railroad one summer while in college.

Unknowingly I just walked right up within say 6 feet (never did see that bear; had no light) when this creature let out a roar that vibrated my entire body. This surely was a giant huge chest.

What do you do? I ran like I've never run before or since; I never tripped on the ties, which is a miracle because the spacing of ties is not normal to human gait for a reason. Also the stones are not packed between ties (my summer job) at the center area so as to only provide support at the area under the rails each side and prevent their rocking like a seesaw. This means I never placed my foot down between the ties in absolute darkness I ran till I came out the tunnel never looking back. I kept running fast for miles.

I'm here today because that bear was to my right, right of the track and I was in the center, wasn't hungry, just ate, or my bold innocence of its presence confused it just a tiny bit, just enough for me to escape; thank you bear and thank you feet!

Wildness is what many humans destroy with impunity, they really don't give a damn but you guys do. I applaud all the hard work and especially the persistence. We cannot ever give up. Wildness is something to teach our youth to cherish forever so they can carry this work forward in their time. Wildness is the soul of forests with all its creatures. Being in this kind of setting is where humans get informed to the bone; it fixes us in a way no human product can do, it sets us straight, it puts us in the proper greater context.

Noel A.
Seattle, WA

I have had two dramatic encounters with these magnificent bears and have been in awe of them ever since. I think of them the same way I think about the mountains and most wildernesses: I may not be able to visit, hike or camp in or near each and every one but knowing they are out there gives me a sense of joy in their unscripted wildness; they must be allowed to go their natural way without our controlling interference. We Americans are extraordinarily fortunate to live in a country where we have the opportunity to co-exist with wilderness -- a benefit many countries have lost.

Amanda H.
Sterling Heights, MI

Although I have never seen a live grizzly bear with my own eyes, watching a few Animal Planet special features alone has allowed me to truly awe these creatures' majestic nature. They are truly amazing beings; please do all that you can to save their habitat and ensure their health. I am 16 years old and I can only hope that, one day, I will be able to show my children the beauty of this animal, not in a museum, on the television, or in a zoo, but thriving, alive in its natural home.

Dottie C.
Jacksonville, NC

All wild animals have the right to live in their natural habitat. This administration should not have removed the grizzly bear from the endangered species list. If we remove these magnificent creatures from protective status, they will be hunted down and eliminated.

Grizzly bears are an awesome creature. Standing proud! I have always loved these animals and would hate to see a generation of children grow up not knowing how awesome a creature they are. Future generations need to be educated by this generation to love and respect all the creatures in our world.

Reynolds T.
Dalton, MA

Grizzly bears are an indigenous species of wildlife in the Yellowstone ecosystem and they deserve to be protected as such. They are an essential participant in an ecosystem that has withstood many assaults over time and deserve to remain protected. There are many things in our natural environment that we have destroyed t hrough misguided assumptions about priorities that benefit material gains some at the expense of our wildlife heritage, and it is about time that we realize that our natural resources must be preserved.

Some of my best lifetime experiences in the outdoors have been in the Yellowstone and Absaroka wilderness areas and I treasure my sightings of wildlife in their home domain. I feel blessed to be able to share a streamside with a moose while fishing a stream and I revere the sight of a black or grizzly bear while walking the wilderness areas. This is a heritage that we should protect forever.

Charlotte M.
Plymouth, MI

In the summer of 2005, my husband and I volunteered at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in Homer, Alaska.  One day in early spring we flew to Katmai National Park and spent the entire day sitting on the edge of an enormous field of sedge, watching grizzlies play, sleep, scratch their backs, seek a mate and in general pursuing the things that are important to grizzlies.  At one time there were 23 grizzlies on the grass in front of us.  The mountains of Katmai soared behind the field and the glaciers poured down their sides. These giants knew we were there, and still allowed us to observe them in their world.  They have done nothing to deserve ill treatment from us, and we should protect them from those who (intentionally or unintentionally) put them in harm’s way.

Julie R.
Indianapolis, IN

I have seen these majestic creatures with my own eyes, tromping through Glacier National Park, cooling off in a mountain streams, fishing for their dinner. While I've always worked to avoid a grizzly on a mountain pass, I in no way think that they should not be protected. It's unbelievable that humans and our development have given these creatures so little space in which to roam. We are only part of an ecosystem which is out of balance. The Endangered Species Act is a very small way to keep these and other creatures from extinction.

Patricia N.
El Segundo , CA

When I was about 7 years old, my entire family rented a recreational vehicle and traveled t hrough Wyoming, California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.  I believe this is where my love of the wild places began.  I recently turned 45 years old in April, and these places still accelerate my heartbeat. During our trip, I witnessed the most amazing and awe-inspiring sights. Sequoia trees that touched the sky and water as clear and cold as midnight. We were fortunate enough to see several grizzly bears, and there are few things on this planet (besides whales) that make one stop and say, "Oh, my God," in both admiration and disbelief  that something so beautiful and majestic could exist.

I have done my best to advocate for all animals, but grizzly bears are one of the many icons of nature.  They are strong, regal and true.  They do not hunt for sport, but for survival, and we must not lose any of them.

Please know that you have my complete support in all that you do to save one of our few remaining icons.

Edward F.
Minneapolis, MN

For many years, my family has summered on the North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana, and participated in grizzly studies conducted out of the University of Montana, Missoula. It is not only the Yellowstone grizzlies that are endangered. There is presently a citizen-inspired movement to pave the now-gravel road up the North Fork on the Forest Service (West) side of the river, which will increase the public access and further imperil the grizzlies' habitat. The bulk of the year-round and seasonal landowners are against this attempt to "lay the dust," but it is a real t hreat.

I have seen grizzlies both up the North Fork and in Glacier Park, which lies on the east side of the river. Our summer cabins have been broken into by the grizzlies, as have many others in the area. But we remain staunch supporters of the protection of grizzlies wherever they are found in the face of a government that is not friendly to - or perhaps even aware of - the immense importance of the necessity to protect our natural resources of land, forest, stream, mountain, flora and fauna.

We maintain our property in as natural a condition as possible in order to co-exist with the various species whose homes we have invaded. Respect for the natural conditions is of prime importance for the survival of all species, including we encroaching humans.

Al A.
Temecula, CA

Much of the richness of life is in the diversity of plants and animals that share the planet with us. The landscapes that grizzly bears inhabit are a few of the last remaining wild places that have not been ruined or destroyed by man. Losing the grizzly bear from the environment of that landscape leaves it less mysterious and alluring. I just finished reading the story of the man and his daughter who endured an encounter with a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park, and he, even though almost killed by the bear and having to go t hrough grueling rehabilitation, held no ill will towards the bear.

I’ve heard many people say that people have a choice to live with total security or with liberty in comparing communist countries with the United States. In a communist county you have security but not liberty. It seems like the same analysis should apply to grizzly bears and other wild animals. We can choose security (eliminate the animals) or liberty, protect the animals. That allows us to make the decision whether to enter their habitat and risk an encounter.

Sue C.
Pocatello, ID

My husband and I used to live in Alaska but now live in Idaho, not far from Yellowstone Park. Grizzly bears were often visitors to our acreage 30 miles outside of Fairbanks, and were never a nuisance, since we never left trash or food outside. I always wore something that jingled when I walked or berry-hunted and even though I could at times smell them or often see their recent tracks, I never came on one unexpectedly. I've seen them on river trips, fishing for salmon along the shore, and have seen a sow with two almost full grown cubs playing in a field of fireweed and it's a majestic sight that gives you a sense of awe at the natural order of things, as they should be.

I believe it is possible for humans and bears to co-exist, but sadly most people fear them or encourage their scavenging with their own careless habits. Many hunters think of them as trophies, and though I myself have sustenance hunted in the distant past, I would never hunt any animal as a trophy or even for food if there was another choice.

I think it's vitally important to place them on the endangered species list again. They reproduce slowly, the survival rate of cubs is low and their habitat is being taken over by upscale communities that want to enjoy living in nature, but not with it. I also think that if your lawsuit is successful then it is as important to educate the public as it is to work to save animals from extinction. Grizzlies are not killer monsters, nor are they cute little teddy bears. They need not be feared, but respected and protected from human ignorance and encroachment.

Carol P.
Harrisville, NH 

I'd like you to keep up the fight for the grizzlies because they are a true symbol of the American west and one of the most magnificent and beautiful creatures on Earth. Vastly powerful and simply amazing. No, I've never seen one up close and personal, but I do know that these animals are an important part of a healthy ecosystem, and they need and deserve our respect and protection.

Please keep up the fight and the good work that you do, for the grizzlies, for other imperiled species, and for the Earth.  And ultimately, for the entire human race as well.  I couldn't imagine a world without wild creatures, so we need people like you who are working to ensure their survival.

I know that many biologists and researchers are feeling more like hospice workers for wildlife these days, and that is a very sad and real notion.  But just accepting extinction as a given, without putting up a good fight, is not an option.

Larry V.
San Jose, CA

Even before I moved west and saw a grizzly ... the idea of just having such an incredible creature as part of our wild heritage really appealed to me at an early age. Seeing magnificent creatures in books and knowing they were there and should remain to be there became a part of my beliefs and being without any influence of media (well maybe Marlon Perkins and Jacques Cousteau had something to do with it), conservation groups or mentors.

It just made sense that to me as a youngster that the animals that have been here for millennia should remain to be here for just as long or longer. With humans having the power to wipe out or save such incredible beings, it was a no-brainer which side of that I had to be on, because to not pick a side you agree with only helps the other side.

I think it was my first trip to Yellowstone, before the wolves returned, that I saw my first grizzly. The feelings I experienced are hard to describe with words ... but I know it involved chills down my back and a primeval feeling that hearkened back to the days when humans were still 'wild animals' and it invoked feelings of kinship and brotherhood in which I feel when seeing many creatures. Although I had a few grizzly sightings in Yellowstone over the years, none were as close as the many I had when in Alaska. These, along with my only wolf encounter, reinforce the feelings I had as a youth...that we need to do all that is in our power to fight money grubbing, cattle ranching, religious right extremists that do not feel it is important to do all we can to allow all wildlife to t hrive in a world with too many humans who continue to push our wild brothers to the brink of extinction.

Barbara O.
Northridge, CA

Grizzly bears are a vital segment of the ecology and must be protected. Losing this species further impacts our environment at a time when many animals and plants are severely threatened by man's impact and global climate changes. All creatures, plants and their environments are intertwined in their support for one another. The grizzly bear plays an important role in his natural environment, and failure by mankind to ensure his survival would be yet another tragic loss.

Jessica U.
Monroe, GA

It is unfair to me that a few can make choices for so many. I should have the same rights to keep a bear alive that a hunter has to kill them. I want my daughter to know that man is not the only predator out there. Grizzlies are inspiring, their size and strength are impressive. To me they should be admired and cherished, not despised and depleted.

Stephen and Evelyn F.
Wausau, WI

We have been watching Yellowstone grizzlies since the 1980s. One came out of the trees on the slope of Mt. Washburn and scattered a herd of more than a hundred elk.  Another dug for army cutworms on the opposite slope. One crossed the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley, not far from three wolves who were chasing a mule deer.

Others grazed in the expanse of the Antelope Creek area, standing occasionally to sniff the wind. We have been thrilled and humbled watching these powerful, intelligent, and resilient animals attempt to maintain their place as necessary top predators in their ecosystem. It would be our failure and our loss if they are allowed to disappear.  We will be in Yellowstone in late June again, and we will look, with hope, for the great bears.

Joseph and Diane W.
Lacey, WA

Yes, we have seen grizzly bears.  It was in Alaska, in Denali, in 1992.  They were magnificent!  We saw a sow and cubs and they passed just feet from the park bus we were on. It just took your breath away. We also saw bears near Tok feeding on something (which we could not discern), and off in the distance there were wolves - waiting for the bears to finish. 

Although we have visited Yellowstone, we have never seen a bear in the park.  We saw buffalo, of course, and elk.  It is such a beautiful park. 

It is too bad we have to fight EVERY DAY to ensure that our wildlife endures.  Our government has no concern at all for wildlife, their habitat or the fact that future Americans will never see these animals if they vanish from our country. 

Gisela Z.
Wauwatosa, WI

The presence of grizzly bears indicates a healthy ecosystem.  The bears are apex predators who require large amounts of territory.  Protecting bears and their habitats protects the entire ecosystem. Bears and other wildlife need room to move and migrate to maintain genetic strength and viability. Grizzlies cannot be constrained to living in isolated pockets of protected wilderness. Personally, seeing a male grizzly in Yellowstone Park in early March while on a wolf-watching trip was awe-inspiring.  The males were just emerging from hibernation and hungry.  This bear was feeding on a winter-killed bison frozen into river ice in a valley.  We sat on a hillside at a safe distance and watched him alternately feed on and sit on that bison carcass to protect it from the two coyotes who pranced around him, just beyond the reach of his paws. 

Let's protect the bears and their environment so that current and future generations can have the kind of grizzly experience I had.

Kathy A.
Santa Cruz, CA

As omnivores, grizzly bears have a huge impact on the ecosystems of which they are a part. It has been shown time and again that when top predators or large-scale omnivores are removed from a habitat, absolutely everything else goes out of balance and biodiversity drops precipitously. They are intricately woven into the fabric of an ecosystem and are responsible for much of that system's biological richness and diversity. They are also magnificent reminders of our place in the scheme of nature -- one which we are often unwilling to accept and live with. Bears, mountain lions, and other large predators can keep us in a healthier balance with
nature too.