The haul of 17 polar bear trophies imported into the UK over the past two decade is part of a widespread hunting onslaught aimed at the planet’s largest carnivore. As many as 5,000 polar bears – classed as vulnerable to extinction – are feared to have been killed by hunters in recent years. To mark International Polar Bear Day, trophy ban campaigners have revealed the dramatic rise in the number of the iconic animals being slaughtered for their body parts and launched a petition to bring about a ban.
The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting today published a new report detailing how the King of the Polar Ice Cap is being increasingly sighted in the crosshairs of international big game shooters.
Besides hunters from the UK, “sportsmen” from China, USA, Austria, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Sweden, Ukraine, Brazil, Hong Kong and the Czech Republic have headed to the Arctic wastes to kill the impressive creatures that measure nearly 10ft on their hind legs and weigh up to 1,500 lb.
Pressure is now being put on Canada, which allows hunting as well as the export of bear hides, especially to China where the demand for the bears’ snowy white fur is high. Polar bear pelts sell for around £4,000, but the best quality ones are worth up £15,000. The number of bear hides shipped from Canada to China increased from 266 in 2005 to 400 in 2013. Polar bear gall bladders are also being exported to China where they are hailed for their ancient medicinal properties.
As far as UK polar bear imports, the new report reveals how eight skins, four skulls, three bodies as well as bones have been legally brought back through customs with DEFRA permits since 1995.
With an estimated 20,000 bears remaining in the wild, the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting has launched an online petition calling on Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to halt commercial trade and trophy hunting of polar bears. See details below.
Canada hosts 13 of the 19 separate known polar bear populations that survive in age where climate change threatens to restrict the animals’ hunting sorties because of melting ice floes.
Eduardo Gonçalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, today called on M.Trudeau to halt commercial trade and trophy hunting of polar bears, declaring: “At a time when they are under growing threat from climate change, polar bears are being killed in their hundreds for ‘trophies’ and trade.
“Killing polar bears for ‘recreation’ and rugs could now push it over the edge.
“Canada has most of the world’s remaining polar bears, and is the only country in the world that permits commercial trade. The scale of the ongoing slaughter poses a serious threat to Canada’s image.
“We call on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call an immediate halt to trophy hunting and trading in polar bears for so-called sport and commerce.”
With a global conference on the trade in endangered species scheduled later this year, the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting is also calling for amendments to international laws that protect vanishing creatures but exempt “sport”.
Mr Gonçalves added: “The trophy hunting industry holds ‘pay to slay’ auctions offering hunters the chance to kill polar bears for amusement. There is no place for ‘hunting for fun’ in a modern civilised society.”
“Governments are meeting to discuss CITES in a few months. They should ban this archaic and immoral industry that is threatening so many species.”
Since the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting was launched in October 2018, it has won the support of 150 British MPs across all parties as well as backing from an array of stars, including Ed Sheeran, Ricky Gervais, Keeley Hawes, Bill Oddie, Liam Gallagher and Chris Packham.
Defra’s position on animal trophies is that it will only grant a permit if an importer can show there has been no detrimental impact on an endangered species and it has been obtained from a sustainable hunting operation.
Yet Environment Secretary Michael Gove recently told MPs: “I find the idea of trophy hunting a difficult one to contemplate as anyone’s idea of a wise use of time or resources, however it is the case that the current regime allows trophies to be imported providing there is no impact on the sustainability of species.
“We keep these rules constantly under review, and I’m grateful to the honourable members across this house and to NGOs for keeping as spotlight on this issue because it is an issue that troubles many of us.”
The petition to ban trade and trophy hunting of polar bears: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/ban-trophy-hunting-of-polar-bears