The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday reaffirmed the protected status of grizzly bears on the Endangered Species List, rejecting petitions from Montana and Wyoming officials to delist the species in specific recovery zones.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied Montana and Wyoming’s petition to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems

After a months-long delay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that grizzly bears will retain protections under the Endangered Species Act, despite efforts by several western states to remove them.

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service rejected Montana and Wyoming’s efforts to delist their grizzly populations as threatened species.

The decision will likely anger the officials of several northern states, which have demanded the right to take over bear management from U.S. Fish

The Biden administration said Wednesday it will continue protecting about 2,000 grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains despite opposition from Republican-led states.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied petitions to delist grizzly bears Wednesday, saying the species is still threatened in the Northern Rockies.

Grizzlies in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming will continue to be protected under the Endangered Species Act.