"The greater Yellowstone's population of grizzlies, a population that once was plummeting toward extinction, has now recovered," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton.

US government and national parks experts say the number of bears in Yellowstone -- which straddles the states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming -- has risen from about 200 in 1982 to more than 600 today.

"These bears are no longer in danger," Norton told a press conference, hailing 30 years of work by wildlife experts and the authorities to increase the population of the huge, brown bear.

"This great icon of the American West now has a promising future. Our grandchildren's grandchildren will see grizzly bears roaming in mountains, forests and rivers in the Yellowstone area."

Grizzlies were declared an endangered species in 1975 throughout the western states and given special protection.

There will now be 90 days of public consultation before approval of the proposal to lift their protection in the greater Yellowstone area. Grizzly bears in other US regions are to remain on the federal protection list.

The decision probably will not take effect before late 2006, Interior Department officials said.

Once enacted, authorities in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming would be authorized to allow limited grizzly hunting.

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