Help Stop Trophy Hunting of Brown Bears in Alaska!
Speak out Now to Stop This
Unethical & Ecologically Indefensible Proposal
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Accepting Comments
Until November 9)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed regulation changes to allow hunting Alaska’s iconic brown bears over bait in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, the proposed rule would also allow trapping diverse species with leghold traps that have serrated or spiked jaws and can be set within one mile of public roads—with no requirement for periodic trap checks. This flagrant lack of regulation means trapped animals will suffer excruciating pain, dehydration, starvation and predation for days or even weeks.
A wildlife refuge should be just that—a place for carnivores and all wildlife to fulfill their ecological roles in wild, healthy ecosystems. Instead the federal agency responsible for conserving wildlife is selling brown bears to trophy hunters.
Hunting bears does not decrease rare instances of human-bear conflict. To add insult to injury, hunting predators with bait only increases the potential for conflict because animals become habituated to human food and scents.
Wildlife belongs to all citizens and the vast majority of Americans do not support bear hunting. A poll conducted in August 2020 (by Remington Research Group) found that 65-68% of respondents opposed various elements of this proposed rule change and almost 80% of respondents opposed the allowance of traps within a mile of public roads. Science, not fringe trophy hunting interests, should determine sound and safe wildlife policy.
Please click here to join Project Coyote in telling the USFWS that bears and their important role in wild Alaska should be protected!
For the Wild,
Michelle Lute, PhD
National Carnivore Conservation Manager