The "Sport" That Should Be Banned

Majority of Registered Hunters in British Columbia Oppose the "Sport" Hunt

Write or call the Provincial government and let them know that it is time to end the trophy hunt of bears in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Premier of British Columbia Hon. Gordon Campbell E-mail:premier@gov.bc.ca

Minister of Environment Hon. Barry Penner E-mail: barry.penner.mla@leg.bc.ca

International Network of Groups Call on B.C. Liberals to End the Trophy Hunt of Bears in The Great Rainforest.

VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada March 11, 2010 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Today, a series of ads are being released in BC's major newspapers marking the countdown to the unpopular trophy hunt in the Great Bear Rainforest. Public poll results show that the "sport" hunt of bears is opposed by nearly 80% of British Columbians, as well as Coastal First Nations and a majority of registered hunters. The ads are endorsed by tourism businesses, local and international conservation groups and coastal First Nations representing 20 million people from over 40 countries.

British Columbia Bear Hunt"Unless the BC government acts quickly grizzly bears are about to be killed in our parks and conservancy areas in the internationally celebrated Great Bear Rainforest," said Ian McAllister from BC-based Pacific Wild. "In the spectacular Kwatna river, just a few miles from where I live, four grizzlies were killed for trophy in 2009 - and two of them were females - what kind of sport involves killing female grizzly bears?"
Last week three B.C. environmental groups released a report showing that grizzly bears are at risk because of habitat destruction in the Great Bear Rainforest. They accuse the B.C. Liberals of failing to enforce sustainable logging practices.
Facts:

In 2001, Premier Gordon Campbell overturned a moratorium on the trophy hunting of grizzly bears. Since then, over 2,000 grizzly bears have been killed for sport in B.C.

The globally rare white Kermode bear is protected from hunting, but the black Kermode, that produces white offspring is subject to open season trophy hunting in over 98 percent of its natural range.

A 2009 Ipsos-Reid poll showed that nearly 80 percent of British Columbians are opposed to the trophy hunt of bears. Science, ethics and economics were given as reasons.

The trophy hunt threatens tourism-based bear viewing businesses, which generate considerably more revenue in B.C. than bear trophy hunting.

Coastal First Nations are opposed to the trophy hunt of bears in their traditional territories.
Contact: Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild (250)957-2480 email: ian@pacificwild.org and website: www.pacificwild.org

Campaign Supporters: Humane Society International/Canada Humane Society of the United States Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust Coastal First Nations Greenpeace Sierra Club BC Western Canada Wilderness Committee David Suzuki Foundation The Spirit Bear Youth Coalition Valhalla Wilderness Society Bears Matter Forest Ethics Animal Rights Sweden Freedom for Animals - Croatia Brigitte Bardot Foundation - France Franz Weber Foundation - Switzerland Global Action in the Interest of Animals (GAIA) - Belgium Fundacion para la Adopcion, Apadrinamiento y Defensa de los Animales (FAADA) - Spain Four Paws (International) Respect for Animals - UK Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia Robin Wood Canopy

In a few weeks, grizzly and black bears will wake up to the sound of guns. By mistaken identity, some of the bears that are killed will be mothers with cubs. Without a mother to protect them, these orphaned cubs will die too. That’s a grisly fact of life in this deadly sport.

The fabled Spirit bear featured so prominently in the Olympic opening ceremony will be at risk too because the gene that turns it white is present in many black bears—bears the provincial government says it’s okay to kill.
Ask the B.C. government to end the trophy hunt of bears in the Great Bear Rainforest. Add your name to the nearly 80 % of British Columbians who oppose this hunt and be joined by more than 20 million people from 40 countries represented by the organizations featured below. As well, you will be supporting a growing wildlife viewing industry that believes a living bear is worth far more than a dead one.
But most importantly, by calling for an end to trophy hunting, you will respect the wishes of First Nations along the coast.
Urgent - Sign Faltering Light

Petition to Stop

the British Columbia Trophy Bear Hunt Now!

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There is a solution, but we need your help.

Vancouver B.C. -The B.C. government plans to open the trophy hunt of bears in the internationally celebrated Great Bear Rainforest. Trophy hunters will be allowed to gun down vulnerable grizzlies and black bears as they emerge from hibernation.

A growing international network consisting of First Nations, conservation, animal protection and tourism groups -- representing more than 15 million members and constituents from over 40 countries -- is calling on the government to ban the trophy hunt for ethical, cultural, conservation and economic reasons.

"This is not a sport, it is a senseless slaughter," said Art Sterritt, Executive Director of Coastal First Nations. "The trophy hunt goes against every moral teaching that we carry and is disrespectful to our culture and values."

"When one looks at the diversity of groups calling for action, from First Nations and wildlife viewing businesses to some of the world's leading conservation and animal welfare organisations, it is clear that the time has come to end this anachronistic blood sport." said Ian McAllister, Executive Director of BC-based Pacific Wild. "With the 2010 Olympic games in town, the eyes of the world are on BC's environmental practices, and this trophy hunt is tarnishing our reputation."

"The international condemnation of this trophy hunt will continue to build until the bears in the Great Bear Rainforest are protected," said Rebecca Aldworth, Executive Director of Humane Society International/Canada. "British Columbia residents and the world community stand united in their opposition to the cruel and needless trophy hunting of bears."

"British Columbia should be celebrating our wildlife heritage, not killing it for sport or for a senseless trophy," said Dean Wyatt, owner of Knight Inlet Lodge and a Director of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association. “Our businesses depend on healthy bear populations and a positive international reputation."