Why should I
care? Is this really a problem that is relevant to the United States?
It was estimated in the late nineties that 40,000 bears were
being poached per year in the United
States. This was about one poached bear per legal kill. Are these figures accurate? Who can know. Were all these bears killed for their gallbladders? Of course not. That being said, there is active trade in gallbladders from North American bears. It's a fact. Furthermore, as native bear populations in Asia have been decimated, our bears have become another
source of gallbladders for a huge
international market. And while some might argue it is not a big problem, we would add this one word: yet. Of course, like many things, it all boils down to money. In fact, the poachers don’t get much; most of the profit is taken by the
middlemen and the end sellers. Our
sources indicate a poacher might get $25, a middleman $300 and an end seller
$500 to $1000 per gallbladder in the United States. If the gall bladder is exported, there is
another level of markup and profit.
Why should you care?
Bears are part of our national wilderness. They are the apex mammal in our North
American ecosystem, and an integral part of our great American outdoors.hey are being illegally killed for
profit. That is just wrong!
Not only nature lovers, but all
Americans should oppose this industry’s exploitation of America’s wildlife. North American bears being illegally killed
as part of this international trade should not be tolerated. Although most states outlaw the sale of bear
parts, there are five states that have no laws against this commerce. They are Idaho,
Maine, New York,
Vermont and Wyoming. However, there are eleven additional states that allow the cross-border trade in bear parts while banning the sale of bear parts taken in that State. For instance, in Utah it is legal to hunt bear, illegal to deal in Utah bear, but legal to import bear parts from other states. This inconsistent nature of these laws can create gaps in enforcement. In addition, many state laws as they currently
exist create a high burden of proof that may even require DNA testing of the bear
gall bladder for a conviction. DNA testing is
complex, expensive and slow. Because of these legal loopholes, individuals who profit from the bear bile and gall bladder trade do not see these laws as a significant deterrent. There is currently a bill, HR 5534, under consideration by the congress of the United States. This bill, the Bear Protection Act of 2008, would help address some of these enforcement issues.
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the earliest environmental advocates in North America. In this tradition, hunters continue to the ensure the survival of many natural ecosystems and habitats.
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the earliest environmental advocates in North America. In this tradition, hunters continue to the ensure the survival of many natural ecosystems and habitats.