The animal that inspired the "teddy bear" is set to be removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife after 24 years worth of dedicated conservation efforts.
The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus lutelous) was listed as endangered in 1992 following wide spread habitat loss and overhunting that left only 150 individuals in the wild.
However, the bears appear to be rebounding. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) says that between 500 and 750 bears currently live in the species' natural range of Louisiana and Mississippi. This "conservation success" means that the animals no longer require federal protection.
"Successful recovery efforts are allowing breeding populations to expand," the FWS said. "As such, the bear is not likely to become in danger of extinction now or within the foreseeable future."
The FWS originally proposed delisting the Louisiana black bear in May 2015 and accepted public comments for a period of time before issuing its final decision.
Breeding pairs and habitat restoration efforts have given the bears the boost they need to survive. However, the animals will continue to be monitored to ensure their success. While the loss of federal protection allows for hunting of the animal, the FWS does not expect it to become as common as it once was.
The fabled bear became part of American culture in 1902 when President Theodore Roosevelt, a known big-game hunter, refused to kill an injured black bear on a hunting trip in Mississippi. His refusal inspired a cartoon strip featured in The Washington Post and the creation of the teddy bear.
"President Theodore Roosevelt would have really enjoyed why we are gathered here today," U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said. "Working together across private and public lands with so many partners embodies the conservation ethic he stood for when he established the National Wildlife Refuge System as part of the solution to address troubling trends for the nation's wildlife. As I said last spring when the delisting proposal was announced, the Louisiana black bear is another success story for the Endangered Species Act."
The Louisiana black bear is one of 16 subspecies of black bear and is found in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, where it is the state mammal.
"As I said last spring when the delisting proposal was announced, the Louisiana black bear is another success story for the endangered species act," Jewell added.
