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Idaho Matters

A lawsuit says wolf traps are endangering grizzly bears

Conservation groups are trying to stop wolf trapping in Idaho, saying the practice threatens endangered grizzly bears. Thirteen groups filed a lawsuit saying traps and snares for wolves could also kill grizzlies and they asked a federal judge last week to stop the practice when bears are not hibernating.

Broadcast on:
09 Jan 2024

A grizzly bear walks through the wilderness.
(Philippe de Feluy / Flickr)

Conservation groups are trying to stop wolf trapping in Idaho, saying the practice threatens endangered grizzly bears.

Thirteen groups filed a lawsuit saying traps and snares for wolves could also kill grizzlies and they asked a federal judge last week to stop the practice when bears are not hibernating.

With around 80 of the protected bears in Idaho, according to the Forest Service, conservationists say losing even one of the grizzlies to a wolf trap could hurt their recovery.

Suzanne Asha Stone, with the International Wildlife Coexistence Network, and Carter Niemeyer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retired Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the State of Idaho, joined Idaho Matters to talk more.