If you’ve been a longtime listener of THE WILD then you know that I’ve been a champion of bringing back grizzly bears to the North Cascades of Washington here in the mountains near where I live. On April 25, 2024 that dream has taken a massive step towards becoming reality. The National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have announced that they will be restoring the grizzly population that called this place home for thousands of years. They were a key part of this ecosystem before they were basically eliminated by humans, so this is their chance to roam these mountains again. The plan is to bring 3-7 grizzly bears in per year for a few years to reach an initial population of twenty-five bears. It’s a big milestone. 

How we got here is a long and fascinating story. Which is why I wanted to share an episode that we did for THE WILD back in 2019. The 'Ghost Bears' of Washington. I hope it’ll give you a little more understanding about grizzlies, the rollercoaster ride it’s been here in the North Cascades, and what it will mean to have them back. Hope you enjoy!

And if you want to learn more about grizzlies here are links to two short films on the topic that we made a few years ago that have been really popular. Including one about an incredible translocated grizzly bear named Irene! 

WANTED: Grizzly Bears?

TIME FOR THE GRIZZLY?

THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

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