WHEREAS, the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus), the official state mammal, is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation has cooperated with the Black Bear Conservation Committee (BBCC), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries(LDWF), and the USFWS to develop a restoration plan for the black bear, and
WHEREAS, the USFWS Recovery Plan calls for a minimum of two subpopulations with a wooded corridor connecting them before the species can be considered for delisting, and
WHEREAS, recent research in Tennessee and Louisiana has identified a mechanism to move bears into unoccupied areas with good chances of them remaining in the area by moving mother bears with cubs from their winter dens to prepared dens at the release sites, and
WHEREAS, the USFWS, LDWF, and BBCC have identified the area in northern Pointe Coupee, eastern Avoyelles, eastern St. Landry, and southern Concordia Parishes, called the Three Rivers/Red River Complex, as a suitable site to try to repatriate bears, and
WHEREAS, the Three Rivers/ Red River Complex contains over 100,000 acres of public land, tens of thousands of acres of privately owned forest land, and is considered a conservation priority area for Wetland Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Program enrollments, and
WHEREAS, local landowners are being contacted to provide input into the repatriation effort and a comprehensive outreach effort has already been initiated, and
WHEREAS, there seems to be broad support for this attempt to speed up the recovery process for the Louisiana black bear.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation supports the cooperative effort to enhance the recovery of the Louisiana black bear by repatriating bears to the Three Rivers/Red River Complex.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the recovery effort continue to be inclusive and involve the general public as much as possible so that Louisiana citizens can share in the pride of restoring this magnificent animal to viability.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, March 12, 2000 in Alexandria, Louisiana.