(bright upbeat music) - I'm Starla Sampaco in the Crosscut KCTS 9 newsroom.

For thousands of years, grizzly bears wandered the North Cascades.

But over the past few centuries, humans hunted these carnivores to near extinction.

There has not been a confirmed grizzly siting in the North Cascades since 1996.

However, this could change.

Federal officials are again pursuing a study on how to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades.

Now, you might be wondering if we even need grizzlies.

Many would say, "Yes."

Biodiversity is one big consideration.

Species-rich ecosystems tend to be more resilient.

Grizzlies are also great at helping plants spread through the region.

If government agencies re-establish grizzlies in the North Cascades, it would be extremely unlikely for you to run into them there.

Each bear would likely be somewhere remote and hard to get to.

I'm Starla Sampaco, find nonprofit Northwest news every day on crosscut.com.