Jewell: Louisiana black bears no longer endangered

The U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today the delisting of Louisiana black bears from the endangered species list during a ceremony at Tensas National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center in Tallulah.

Jewell’s visit served to “celebrate a successful conservation partnership to protect and recover the Louisiana black bear from the brink of extinction,” said a news release.

She noted in her address, 20-plus years of recovery efforts among federal, state and local landowners have led to success for the bear.

The purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to conserve the nation’s most at-risk wildlife, as well as the land and water on which they depend for habitat.

The Act has saved more than 99 percent of the species listed from the brink of extinction, according to the release.

It has also served as the critical safety net for wildlife that Congress intended when it passed the law more than 40 years ago.

While this might be a celebratory moment for the federal government, some non-profit leaders do not agree with today’s announcement.

In order for a species to be delisted, the bear’s recovery plan must meet a list of specific objectives, Black Bear Conservation Coalition Executive Director Paul Davidson said.

“In my opinion, those objectives have not been met,” Davidson said. “Therefore, I think there will be people challenging the delisting. When the recovery plan was written in 1995 it stated it would take until 2025 to recover the bear.

“But because they’re fast-tracking the delisting so they can show success, they’re trying to do it now.”

For Davidson, the bear’s delisting is a political move.

“All of this is politics,” Davidson said. “With a Republican controlled Congress there will be an effort to undermine the Endangered Species Act, if not totally do away with it, in this session of Congress.

“The interior is scrambling to try to show some success stories with the endangered species program so they fast-tracked the delisting.”

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, by 1980 more than 80 percent of Louisiana black bear’s habitat had been modified or destroyed. The bear was listed as threatened in January 1992.

At present, the bear population is estimated to be between 500 and 750. This population has doubled since the time it was listed.

“The primary reason the bear has done so well is that hundreds of private citizens collectively donated several million dollars that we’ve put into this restoration effort,” Davidson said.

“If it is in fact recovered, it is not because of anything the government did, it’s because of the citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi and East Texas who bought into the idea that we could do this.”

The delisting status of the black bear does not mean it is open season on the bears, St. Mary Parish Bear Conflict Officer Catherine Siracusa said.

“If they (federal or state officials) open hunting season, they will have to present how it will be regulated, what will be done, and which areas will be open to hunting season,” she said.

Siracusa wants to remind residents there are laws still in place.

“If you live in a residential area, you are not allowed to discharge a firearm,” Siracusa said. “So if a raccoon or a squirrel comes in your yard and you don’t want them in your yard, it is illegal to shoot that animal in your yard.

“The same is going to hold for any other animal whether it’s a coyote or a bear. Even if you live in a rural area, you still will not be able to walk out in your back yard and shoot a bear. It still will be regulated.”

The Louisiana black bear can be found in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. It is also the inspiration for the stuffed animal called a teddy bear.