Grizzly Final Rule Delayed Until December 2026

Save the Yellowstone Grizzly has agreed to an extension of the federal grizzly bear delisting rule deadline to December 18, 2026. The original deadline for a final decision was January 31, 2026. The federal government requested additional time, citing staffing shortages, a large volume of public comments, and the transition to a new administration.

In January 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a proposed rule to revise federal protections for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This rule stems from a court-supervised settlement resulting from a lawsuit filed by Save the Yellowstone Grizzly to ensure ESA compliance and agency accountability.

The lawsuit originated from the unwarranted killing of a grizzly sow and her two cubs near Tetonia, Idaho in November 2022, and sought to hold federal and state agencies accountable for violations of the Endangered Species Act.

While the deadline has been extended, the final rule could still be issued at any time. At the same time, there is an ongoing threat of Congressional delisting. Wyoming Representative Harriet Hageman has introduced the Grizzly Bear State Management Act, which would remove federal protections for grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem altogether.

These developments come amid a deeply troubling reality: grizzly bear mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem reached a record high of 74 known deaths. This number reflects only confirmed cases and likely underrepresents the true toll. These losses underscore the urgent need to strengthen, not weaken, ESA 4(d) protections, and raise serious concerns about whether states are prepared to manage grizzly populations responsibly without federal oversight.

Equally unresolved is the longstanding issue of habitat connectivity between isolated grizzly populations, an issue the federal government has repeatedly lost on in past delisting court decisions. There are still no grizzlies in the Bitterroot–Salmon–Selway Wilderness Complex, a critical missing link for long-term species recovery.

And looming over all of this is climate change. This winter in Montana, temperatures have ranged from 40 to 70 degrees, raising concerns about reduced snowpack, water scarcity, and heightened wildfire risk in the coming summer. These changes directly affect grizzly food sources, habitat stability, and dispersal patterns. As bears move farther across the landscape in search of food and water, the question becomes unavoidable: Are we prepared to coexist? Do we have enough Bear Smart communities?

When the federal government previously attempted to delist the Yellowstone grizzly population in 2016, conservation groups challenged the rule in federal court. During that case, Save the Yellowstone Grizzly filed an amicus brief focused specifically on climate change, highlighting the growing threats to long-term recovery that were being ignored.

As of today, grizzly bears remain protected under the Endangered Species Act. But the decisions being made now by agencies, courts, and Congress will shape the future of the species for decades to come.

Save the Yellowstone Grizzly will continue to monitor this process closely with our friends and allies and keep you informed every step of the way.