US wildlife officials agree to Lower 48 grizzly bear review

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - U.S. officials will review whether grizzly bears have enough protections across the Lower 48 states after advocates sued the government in a bid to restore the animals to more areas.

The review must be completed by March 31, 2021, under a settlement approved Monday by a federal judge.

The Center for Biological Diversity said in a June lawsuit that officials should consider restoring grizzlies to areas of California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Oregon.

Grizzly bears are protected as a threatened species outside Alaska. An estimated 1,900 bears live in portions of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington state.

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