Polar bears and sport hunting
Polar Bears International opposes the illegal killing of polar bears in all forms. As a science-based organization dedicated to respectful collaboration with all partners critical for the long-term conservation of the species, we do not oppose legal, sustainable hunting and harvesting practices, including sport hunting, due to their complex relationship with Indigenous rights.
Indigenous people have the right to harvest a select number of polar bears; in Canada, this is co-managed by government and Indigenous agencies through a quota system that issues tags to each community. Given the severe economic issues in the remote North, especially surrounding food security and employment, some communities will sell tags to sport hunters. Currently, a small number of these tags (under 10%) are used for guided hunts by visitors to communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
This does not increase the number of polar bears killed — in fact, usually it results in fewer kills. This is because once a tag is allocated to a non-resident, it can't be reallocated, regardless of the outcome of the hunt. Tags that stay in the community, however, are reallocated if a hunt is unsuccessful. It is up to Indigenous communities how they wish to use the tags.
If a community uses a tag in this way, strict rules apply:
The hunter must hire a local guide
The team must travel by dog sled
The meat stays with the community
The hide and other parts used for research, trade or otherwise are subject to all international and national laws on export and import
While we play a critical role in informing policy and ensuring that these quotas do not threaten polar bear populations, we respect Indigenous rights and traditions. It is not our place to dictate how tags are used; this is a community decision.
Canada is the only country that currently allows sport or trophy hunting of polar bears.
Overhunting has long been a shared concern of the Polar Bear Range States and was the driving force behind the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and the formation of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group. While hunting remains one of several potential threats, much has been accomplished since the signing of the Agreement to mitigate hunting impacts. Recent research monitoring threats has shown that the conservation threat from hunting is low compared to the threat from climate change.
Polar bears and CITES
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international treaty that regulates the trade of species across international borders.
Currently, polar bears are listed on Appendix II, which allows for strictly controlled international trade of scientific samples, furs and other parts.
Current proposals
There is currently no proposal to move polar bears from Appendix II.
At present, according to the established criteria and available data, polar bears as a species do meet the criteria established for Appendix II, and do not meet the thresholds required for an uplisting from Appendix II to Appendix I. Appendix I is reserved for critically endangered species whose primary threat is directly linked to trade.
While there can always be improvements within CITES around the tracking and reporting of wildlife trade broadly, the latest research shows that trade is not considered a significant threat for this species. We encourage vigilant monitoring of both trade and hunting across the polar bear range and have noted positive improvements around this issue through actions of the Polar Bear Range States and their Trade Working Group.
Past proposals
In 2013, polar bears were proposed for an uplisting to Appendix I, which would ban all international trade, but would not change hunting quotas in countries where it is currently legal. The proposal was not successful, on the basis that polar bears did not meet the established criteria for Appendix I, and that further restricting trade would not benefit the conservation of polar bears. This position was supported by major scientific, conservation and Indigenous organizations, including the Polar Bear Specialists Group, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), TRAFFIC, WWF, Polar Bears International and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.
Legality of trade
Currently, trade in polar bear parts is illegal in Russia, and legal with restrictions in the U.S., Canada, Greenland, and Norway. Trade in the U.S. is regulated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act coupled with laws within the State of Alaska. At present, only Canada allows legally hunted polar bears to be exported. In recent years, the majority of that trade has occurred within the country and export has comprised less than 10% of the overall harvest. While hunting is legal in Greenland, export is currently banned voluntarily and trade occurs only within the country. Like Russia, Norway has banned all polar bear hunting but still allows limited trade, including both historic hides from Norway and new items in accordance with CITES regulations.
Polar Bears International’s stance on trade
Polar Bears International condemns any illegal or unsustainable trade of polar bears.
As a science-based organisation, we know that climate change remains the overarching threat to polar bears across their range by a wide margin. However, recent research indicates that, although climate-driven habitat loss remains the dominant threat, hunting can be an important anthropogenic stressor in certain regions, supporting the need for continued research, monitoring, and dialogue with key stakeholders. New genomics research is also adding insights into population dynamics that will be critical to consider within such broader discussions going forward.
What we’re doing
Along with colleagues in all polar bear countries, we’re carefully monitoring the effects of trade and hunting on polar bear populations.
We continue to support the monitoring and where possible, the mitigation of all threats to polar bear populations. While climate change remains the largest threat to polar bears by a long shot, other threats to polar bears include overhunting, overtourism, and oil and gas development — especially near denning areas.
We are prioritizing fundraising for a new analysis of the potential conservation and societal impacts of sport hunting in Canada.
We call on the Polar Bear Range States to reactivate their Polar Bear Trade Working Group to review progress to date, current concerns, and the potential for further joint actions around trade monitoring, data integrity, and data access.
We call on governments to ensure effective monitoring and strong enforcement against illegal trade and unsustainable hunting practices. This includes following best practices across the trade chain for traceability and authenticity.
We call on governments, including wildlife management agencies, to prioritize the protection of polar bear mothers and cubs, with stronger safeguards for females and their denning areas.
We collaborate with governments, nonprofits and Indigenous communities on long-term coexistence solutions. We know from experience that collaborative partnerships produce the best conservation results.
From Canada’s Western Hudson Bay to the Barents Sea in Norway, we help fund studies on polar bear numbers, movement patterns, and gene diversity, supporting both long term monitoring efforts around the Arctic and the development of new methodologies and the next generation of polar bear scientists.
Polar Bears International continues to invest in less-invasive scientific research, advancing conservation technology that’s better for the bears.
We’ve created “Burr on Fur”, which are less-invasive tracking tags that attach to a polar bear’s fur and fall off during their annual molt — an improvement on the traditional ear tags and collars.
We’ve developed “Bear-dar” to spot a polar bear (through the snow, through the night…) and alert a community that it’s nearby: keeping people and polar bears safe.
We’ve conducted a decade of non-invasive maternal den studies, setting up remote cameras outside known den locations to record and understand this vulnerable time when moms and cubs emerge from their birthing dens. This is particularly important for establishing protections near industrial drilling areas.
We’re supporting non-invasive research in Southern Hudson Bay, advancing hair-snares as a sampling tool, and Indigenous Knowledge for a thorough analysis.
We have determined that the oil and gas industry’s polar bear den-detection tool is inaccurate, and we are developing an improved radar tool to help keep moms and newborns safe.
