Grizzly bear
Another classic symbol of North American wildlife is the grizzly bear. Before the Europeans arrived, more than 50,000 grizzlies wandered the American West. Today, due to hunting and habitat destruction, that number is closer to 1,000. Furthermore, because grizzly bears have babies at a very slow rate, it takes many years for the population to grow.
Most of the grizzly bears in the United States, excluding Alaska, live in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. As grizzlies are still protected by the ESA, hunting them is illegal. As bear populations grow, it becomes very important to prevent encounters between humans and bears 20 to 40 bears are killed each year to protect the safety of humans. People living in grizzly bear habitats are encouraged not to leave garbage lying around in case bears are attracted to the smell, and parks put up signs warning people not to stray off the path. Visitors are also warned not to alarm any bears they encounter.