A court-ordered discussion between parties to lawsuits challenging a decision by the U.S. Government to remove the Yellowstone grizzly from the Endangered Species list ended with no agreement, ensuring two judges will hear challenges.

The discussion, held last Thursday in Missoula, was designed to give the parties a chance to seek a middle ground before incurring the expense of a lawsuit. 

Two courts will address the issue: U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula and U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch in Boise, Idaho.

At the core of the lawsuits: changes in the Yellowstone Ecosytem ecology will threaten the long-term survival of grizzly bears, warranting their ongoing protection.

During slow times grizzly bears will eat just about anything, but they derive a lot of sustenance from whitebark pine-tree seeds, located in Yellowstone's high country. But beetles are now getting to those seeds first; the climate in Yellowstone National Park's high country has warmed enough to where it's possible for beetles to get a foothold in the local ecosystem. Plus, with fewer seeds hitting the ground, there are fewer seedlings taking root, leading to a death spiral of sorts. With fewer pine-tree seeds, there's less food for grizzlies. And where there's less food, there are fewer grizzlies.

Last year a record 48 grizzlies, out of the roughly 600 living in the greater Yellowstone region in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, were killed by humans. If that pace continues this year, a automatic review of the grizzlies' endangered status will kick in.

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

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