WASHINGTON – The HSUS and HSI are decrying a decision last week by Greenland that would allow tourist sport hunting of polar bears for the first time in its history. Under the Greenland plan, 10 permits a year would be issued to tourists for polar bear trophies -- but bizarrely, the tourists would not be allowed to kill the bears themselves. Each safari would be led by a Greenland hunter who would do the killing for the tourists. Officials predicted that these "polar bear safaris" would begin in 2006 or 2007.
"The HSUS and HSI strongly protest Greenland's decision to allow tourists to go on what they are calling 'polar bear safaris,'" said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS and HSI. "We call it grotesque – like selling tickets to witness what goes on in a slaughterhouse as entertainment. It is a shameful proposition that will put added pressure on the polar bear population just when global warming has been clearly identified as a significant threat to the bears' long-term survival."
Greenland's decision comes just as 25 environment ministers from around the world were wrapping up an informal three-day meeting in Ilulissat, Greenland to discuss the effects of global warming on the ecology of the Arctic. Participants included the United States, China and several European countries.
In July, scientists with the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialist Group elevated the status of polar bears from "not at risk" to "vulnerable" on its list of species in jeopardy, due to the effects of global warming in the Arctic. The scientists predicted that the threat to the polar bears – once ranked by the group as a species of little concern – is so grave that their population could shrink by more than 30 percent over the next half century.
In January The HSUS and HSI sent letters to Greenland and the territory of Nunavut in Canada urging a halt to all plans that called for the expansion of trophy hunting. Approximately 70 percent of the estimated 21,500-25,000 polar bears in the world live in Nunavut and Greenland. In the first half of the 20th century, their numbers declined, apparently due to sport hunting. Both countries have now rejected these requests – Nunavut increased its hunt quotas by almost 30 percent earlier this year (many of their permits go to sport hunters) and Greenland's announcement opens a trophy hunt after a previously long-standing policy firmly rejected killing the bears for sport.
Greenland has also announced this month that they will be introducing polar bear hunting quotas in January 2006. Greenland hunters currently kill between 200 and 250 polar bears per year, a number scientists and managers think is unsustainable. The exact figures will be announced later this year.
"Scientists have been saying for some time that the current kill levels in Greenland are too high," said Naomi Rose, marine mammal scientist for the HSUS and HSI. "Even some of Greenland's authorities have acknowledged this. But establishing hunt quotas – which we certainly hope will be much lower than the current kill – is only one step forward for the two steps back they are taking with opening a sport hunt."
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization representing more than 9 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 animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
