The Louisiana black bear has finally been removed from the federal endangered species list. This is a sub-species of the American black bear that inspired the creation of the “Teddy Bear.” The delisting takes place 24 years after it was put on the list due to extreme habitat loss and other causes, including overhunting. The recovery in numbers of the bears has been deemed a major success story by U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.
It was named after Teddy Roosevelt, former president of the U.S., who served in the early 20th century. He was known as a great sportsmen, and enjoyed being outdoors. A candy store owner who was inspired after viewing a cartoon about one of Roosevelt’s trips’ in the Washington Post newspaper in 1902, created the Teddy Bear. Louisiana black bears were once numerous in Louisiana and the neighboring states, but by 1992, when they were listed, the number of bears had been reduced to 150. Since its listing, many state and federal agencies have worked hard to increase the bear population. Bear habitats have increased in size and connectivity. They are able to travel between different populations, thereby increasing the bears’ genetic diversity. This helps improve the health of the species. Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are 500-750 bears in the wild.
All of this was possible because of the enactment of the ESA-Endangered Species Act. It is a law that was passed in 1973 to protect endangered animals.