Louisiana black bear removed from endangered species list

The US Department of the Interior said the 'conservation success' meant the subspecies no longer required protection but will continue to be monitored

The Louisiana black bear, the animal credited with spawning the phrase "teddy bear", is to be removed from the federal list of endangered wildlife following a two-decade conservation effort.

The US Department of the Interior said the "conservation success" of the bear meant it no longer required the protection of the endangered species act, which bars any killing or removal of listed creatures. The black bear will continue to be monitored, however, and it's expected that there won't be an immediate return to hunting the animal.