'Ursus Arctos Horribilis'

30x30 Acrylic on Canvas
 
Westward expansion originally infringed upon the grizzly bear’s habitat. Aggressive hunting in the early 20th century also threatened their survival. By the 1960s, it was estimated that there were only 600 to 800 remaining in the wild. In 1975, grizzly bears were listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  But today, the current population is listed as “stable” thanks to conservationists, grizzlies are considered a conservation success story. Ever since they gained protections under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the population of grizzly bears has grown. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established recovery zones for the bears and set out to improve relationships between humans and bears through educating the public.