WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and John Campbell (R-Calif.) have introduced bipartisan legislation that would help stop the illegal poaching of bears and conserve global bear populations. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Born Free USA called on Congress to swiftly pass the bill – H.R. 3029, the Bear Protection Act of 2007 – which would prohibit the import, export, and interstate commerce in bear viscera such as the gallbladder and bile.
"The lucrative black market trade in bear parts drives the illegal killing of these creatures from coast to coast across America and throughout the rest of the world," said Michael Markarian, HSUS executive vice president. "Passage of the Bear Protection Act would send a strong message to poachers and illicit wildlife dealers that we will not stand idly by, watching our wild bears unnecessarily slaughtered for their internal organs."
Adam Roberts, vice president of Born Free USA, added, "The Bear Protection Act creates sound national policy against the trade in bear gallbladders and bile. The absence of federal legislation prohibiting trade in bear parts enables an interstate and international illegal trade to flourish and the current patchwork of state laws severely complicates wildlife law enforcement efforts."
Wild American bears and highly endangered Asian bears are slaughtered for their gallbladders and bile, which are consumed domestically or exported illegally as traditional folk remedies. Meanwhile, Asiatic black bears are entombed in coffin-like cages in China and elsewhere in Asia, where they are cruelly milked for their bile with a steel catheter. When the bears outlive their productive bile-producing years, they are slaughtered, their paws are lopped off for high-priced soups, and their gallbladders ripped out for sale.
Congressman Grijalva said, "A single bear gallbladder can fetch literally thousands of dollars on the black market and can be worth more than gold or heroin by weight. We must act now to deter the slaughter of American black bears for their gallbladders before it's too late."
"California has wisely prohibited the commercialization of bear gallbladders already because we know that putting a price on the head of wild bears leads to poaching," Congressman Campbell noted. "It's time Congress took action to protect bears from poachers' bullets across the entire country."
Thirty-four states ban the sale of bear parts, but the absence of a strong federal law dealing with interstate and foreign commerce makes enforcement difficult. Some estimates suggest that the illegal poaching of black bears may even exceed the legal take by hunters, which is more than 30,000 per year in North America. Legislation similar to the Bear Protection Act has twice passed the U.S. Senate unanimously – in 2000 and 2001 – but did not receive action in the House.
"This legislation is a simple but vital effort to deter poachers from slaughtering bears for their parts," Congressman Grijalva added. "H.R. 3029 will not affect the lawful sport hunting of American bears, but will ensure that poachers do not indiscriminately wipe out this important natural resource."
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization -- backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.
Born Free USA was founded to carry on the work of the UK-based Born Free Foundation, started by the stars of the legendary film, Born Free. We work to alleviate animal suffering, protect threatened and endangered species in the wild, and encourage everyone to treat wildlife everywhere with respect and compassion. On the web at www.bornfreeusa.org.
