Endangered Species

Two years after her death, the world-famous grizzly bear's legacy endures. At the same time, federal protections for the species are on their way out the door.

A proposed rule would give states more control over managing the endangered species. A top U.S. Fish and Wildlife official said that once it's finalized, there will be a push to delist grizzlies.

Federal wildlife officials downlisted the razorback sucker from "endangered" to "threatened," saying populations had bounced back. Environmentalists argue those populations aren't yet self-sustaining.

Pinyon jays are a vulnerable and rarely seen species that has experienced a sharp population decline. But it turns out that protecting them might be more complicated than we thought.

A female grizzly was previously relocated to Wyoming to improve genetic connectivity — a factor that has prevented Western states from taking grizzlies off the Endangered Species Act.

The new ruling could be a setback for the Trump administration's attempts to loosen habitat protections. However, a federal committee has also voted to exempt Gulf of Mexico drilling from the act.

New regulations on the currently-endangered species were supposed to be finalized by Jan. 31. However, the Trump administration has delayed that until December, citing staffing issues.

It would still be illegal to harm Mountain West species, such as jumping mice, migratory birds and desert tortoises, but their habitats may no longer be federally protected.

The concern comes after Tina Jackson, the species' recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was fired as part of the Trump Administration’s federal workforce cuts.

In other news: the Cougar Pride Center has announced a date for its fourth annual Pride in Progress march and festival, which will celebrate LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those associated with Brigham Young University.