A judge rules that Alaska wildlife agents may resume a program that kills bears to protect a caribou herd in southwestern Alaska. The plan is intended to help recover a caribou population that had been a key food source for Alaska Native hunters. The program uses aircraft, including helicopters and small planes, to locate and shoot black and brown bears. The court order permits shooting bears of any age within a large area, as part of efforts to reduce bear predation on caribou. Two conservation groups had sued to stop the practice, arguing against the state’s approach. The ruling resolves that dispute in favor of allowing the state to restart the bear-killing component of its caribou recovery strategy, though details of implementation are still tied to the judge’s decision and the state’s management plan. The decision frames the bear removals as a wildlife management tool aimed at supporting caribou recovery in the region.