Yellowstone cutthroats and grizzly bears

The decline of Yellowstone cutthroat trout is apparently having a significant impact on Yellowstone NP grizzly bears who once feasted on these tasty trout as they moved into small creeks to spawn. Without the trout, the bears go looking for other food sources such as cows, trash, and the occasional camper. The native trout are disappearing because of the illegal introduction of lake trout, which are big, voracious predatory, non-native fish (in Yellowstone). Bears are moving out of the Park in search of food, meaning more conflicts with people. Bears inevitably lose these conflicts. At the same time, there is growing political pressure to de-list the grizzly bear because their numbers have grown in recent decades. But, given the decline of this important food source, this is no time to reduce the protection for the West's greatest predator. See the related story here:

Fish and Bears