Polar Bear Protection Act (S. 1406/H.R. 2327)

[flvegan]

From HSUS:

The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972 to protect all marine mammals. But, trophy hunters such as those at Safari Club International, which rewards those who can kill the most animals, including endangered species, pushed for years for the loophole.

In 1994, they succeeded. Although the MMPA prohibits non-subsistence hunting of polar bears in Alaska, Congress agreed to amend the law to allow the import of trophies from sport-hunted polar bears from populations in Canada approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After evaluating the status of Canadian populations, the agency approved imports from seven populations in 1997. In 2001, one of those populations was disapproved, after data showed it was declining due to an unsustainable hunt quota. Since 1997, more than 800 polar bear trophies have been exported from Canada into the United States.

Hunters who wish to become decorated members of Safari Club International, and get their names printed in the organization's macabre record book of trophy-hunted animals, kill all the animals they can for a "Grand Slam."

To win the "Bear Slam" the hunter must kill four species of bear, including a polar bear. As trophy hunters appropriate more and more threatened trophy animals, Safari Club International rewards them with more and more awards.

<snip>

Law Would Close the Loophole

The Polar Bear Protection Act would close the loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act and ban the importation of polar bear heads and hides into the United States by American trophy hunters. It was introduced by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) in the Senate and Representatives Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) in the House.

More:
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/hunting/polar_bear_protection_act.html

What you can do:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2007_polar_bear_trophy

[Xithras]

1. We need a polar bear bowhunting season.

That should thin the trophy hunters ranks a bit :)

[Dragonbreathp9d]

16. Longbow only

no compound or cross. And knife-hunting as well. :)

[TX-RAT]

20. Allot of people hunt them with bows.

[Annces]

2. Done n/t

[lonestarnot]

3. Yeah!

:applause: Close the loophole.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Done. n/t

[Robeson]

5. Done.

[TX-RAT]

6. Inuit's who reley on this for income disagree.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/04/25/arviat-bears.html?ref=rss

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/special/esa/polarbears/state_comments4-9-07.pdf

http://www.zimbio.com/Polar+Bears+on+the+Endangered+Species+List/articles/8/Remember+How+Polar+Bears+Dying+Off+Yeah+Their

[The Stranger]

7. They can rely on something else.

[TX-RAT]

9. Any suggestions?

Or would you rather they just be placed on reservations?

[The Stranger]

15. Something not endangered.

As for reservations, they are essentially already on one. Are you happy about that?

[TX-RAT]

21. How many reservations are there in Canada?

[The Stranger]

29. You asked about the reservations.

You tell me.

[flvegan]

8. The Inuit rely on trophy hunting for income?

How...traditional.

[TX-RAT]

10. Most of the hunting and guide services have Inuit guides.

Been doing it for along time. Whats to happen to them?

[flvegan]

12. They can keep their jobs

and restrict the weapons that these "hunters" can use. They can have a machete and a baseball bat. Better yet, change the Sierra Club guidelines to catch-and-release.

It might hurt business, but the business of trophy hunting is morally and ethically bankrupt.

[DS1]

18. or instead of hunting trips, photography trips

[TX-RAT]

19. I'm sure they'd love that idea.

Now all they have to do is find people that are willing to pay 15 to 20 thousand dollars to take pictures.

[DS1]

24. or, split up the costs since photographers somehow manage to leave the creatures

there for other people to find.

I know it's hard for you to wrap your mind around this, but it's not your fault. :hug:

[TX-RAT]

27. Split with who?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Well, nobody's going to fly up there ...

just to go to a casino.
:rofl:

But to shoot an endangered species and bring home the pelt? Some would shell out big bucks. The Inuit make out with the money, and they also get the meat (minus a couple choice steaks for bwana).

Tradition doesn't mean much. How many tribes in the lower 48 are running "traditional" casinos or "traditional" tobacco shops?

[flvegan]

13. Casinos and tobacco shops

Are a choice made by the participants on both sides. A "hunter" will get no gripe from me if his slaughtered beast signs a waiver. That seems fair, right?

[LeftyMom]

14. k&r

[DS1]

17. Trophy hunters are scum

plain and simple

[TX-RAT]

22. And your definition of a trophy hunter is?

[DS1]

23. trophy hunter

it's a fucking simple concept, no?

[TX-RAT]

25. Obviously you don't know then.

Just smart ass comments, is all you have.

[Coventina]

26. Anyone who hunts endangered species is scum.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

[DS1]

28. I'm sorry, but you'll have to define "hunt" and "endangered"

there be morons about

[TX-RAT]

30. Since you were unable to define trophy hunting.

It doesnt surprise me that you would need help defining " hunt" and "endangered". So you just jump from rudeness and sarcasm to childish name calling. Your a class act.