A US judge in the northern state of Montana declared the Trump administration wrongly took a group of Grizzly Bears off of the endangered species list, effectively cancelling plans to allow trophy hunters to kill 22 of the beasts.

In a historic for wildlife conservation in America, Grizzlies living in and around Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming will be put back on the government's endangered species list.  Judge Dana Christensen found the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) reasons for delisting the bear were "arbitrary" and "capricious", and didn'tconsider the impact the decision would have on other Grizzly Bear populations in the contiguous United States.

The court also found that FWS did not use the best available science when negotiating with Wyoming, Idaho and Montana - the states where these bears live - about their participation in a conservation strategy for the delisted grizzlies.

Tim Preso of the environmental law firm EarthJustice praised Christiansen's work:  "This is a case that he will be known for and it's an important part of the legacy of American conservation.  He did what a judge does - apply the law without being prejudiced by politics."