WASHINGTON - Responding to plans by Greenland and the territory of Nunavut in Canada to alter their policies regarding the hunting of polar bears, The HSUS and Humane Society International (HSI) strongly criticized the governments and urged them to halt their plans for expanded trophy hunting.
The January 31 letters condemned Greenland for accepting a proposal to allow the killing of polar bears for sport for the first time in its history, and asked Nunavut to abandon its plans to increase its hunting quotas. The groups are also asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to review import approvals for Nunavut's polar bear populations should the Canadian territory finalize its decision.
"Just at a time when polar bears are under increasing and already substantial pressure due to significant changes in their habitat - from pollution, global climate change, and other causes - two of the five polar bear nations are getting set to increase hunting pressure on them," said Naomi Rose, marine mammal scientist, for The HSUS and HSI. "Studies have shown that polar bears have high adult survival, suggesting that they have not evolved to withstand high losses to the adult bear population, making these new hunting allowances a significant threat."
Approximately 70 percent of the 21,500-25,000 polar bears in the world live in Nunavut and Greenland. These relatively low numbers are natural and are very susceptible to the impact of hunting. In the first half of the 20th century, many polar bear populations declined, apparently due primarily to sport hunting. When the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the 1973 International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears stopped sport hunting in most of the countries where polar bears live, populations began to recover.
In the letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Rose states, "It is our firm belief that the MMPA prohibits the Service from issuing import permits for polar bears sport hunted in Canada unless the best scientific information available supports the conclusion that Canada's management regime is sustainable. A quota increase of 28 percent, based on nothing more than increased sightings of bears near human habitation, when the most credible researchers urge caution in interpreting this as an increase in population size, clearly does not meet MMPA standards."
In addition, the Greenland government does not have a strong management policy in place for its current "traditional" hunt -- a fact that hardly inspires confidence in an expanded hunt now open to non-natives and driven by commercial incentives.
"Polar bears are in trouble, as a consequence of global warming. The last thing they need is to be chased down and killed in their arctic environments by individuals seeking trophy heads," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "While the U.S. prohibits trophy hunting of polar bears, it does allow American hunters to kill a polar bear in Canada and import the body or pelt back to the U.S. The U.S. needs to close that loophole in the MMPA if it is serious about protecting this vulnerable species."
Editor's note: The HSUS/HSI letters, including to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are available upon request.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 8.5 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and fieldwork. The group is based in Washington, DC and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
Originally posted by helden:'(
WASHINGTON - Responding to plans by Greenland and the territory of Nunavut in Canada to alter their policies regarding the hunting of polar bears, The HSUS and Humane Society International (HSI) strongly criticized the governments and urged them to halt their plans for expanded trophy hunting.
The January 31 letters condemned Greenland for accepting a prop ...[text shortened]... ngton, DC and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
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I wonder, how many people who get sad hearing news like this are leading a vegetarian lifestyle themselves, and therefore are (or strongly reduced) not responsible for mass killing of animals (in their original habitat)?
One should read 'A Green History of the World' by Clive Pointing (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140176608/103-5928584-8358245?v=glance&n=283155) to know the true impact of meat eating and byproducts in relation to an environment (this applies to breeding animals in industrial breeding farms and fish tanks too)...
Originally posted by KneverKnightThey should turn around before you taunt them a second time.
I agree. It's "PC" to not criticize "the First Nations" lifestyle, but on the other hand, they didn't have rifles and snowmobiles until after Columbus.
This sucks.
I fart in their general direction.