HSI/Canada applauds BC government for banning trophy hunting of grizzly bears

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Aug. 15, 2017) - The government of British Columbia has prohibited the trophy hunting of grizzly bears throughout the province and all hunting of grizzlies within the Great Bear Rainforest. The announcement, made Monday, follows a commitment by the BC New Democratic Party late last year to stop all trophy hunting of grizzlies if elected.

Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of Humane Society International/Canada, issued the following statement applauding the ban:

"Trophy hunting is a disgraceful blood sport that flies in the face of Canadian values. Monday's announcement that the BC government has prohibited trophy hunting of grizzlies is a crucial step forward in protecting these majestic animals from senseless cruelty. The decision is also in line with the views of the overwhelming majority of BC residents, including Coastal First Nations. Much remains to be clarified about the measure, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the provincial government to ensure grizzlies are truly protected from all forms of trophy hunting. The pending fall hunting season speaks to the urgency of enacting this prohibition swiftly."

HSI/Canada has campaigned to end the trophy hunt for grizzlies in BC for more than a decade. Globally, HSI has been at the forefront of a powerful movement to stop trophy hunting for good by blocking the trade in wildlife trophies, strengthening legal protections for wild animals and educating the public about the devastating impacts of trophy hunting.

Facts:

• Trophy hunters kill hundreds of grizzlies each year in British Columbia.
• Trophy hunting results in high wounding rates, with wild animals routinely left to suffer for extended periods of time before hunters retrieve them.
• Public opinion polling reveals that more than 90 percent of BC residents oppose trophy hunting.
• Grizzlies are listed as a species of "Special Concern" by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
• A 2013 study published in the Public Library of Science found that trophy hunting may be causing declines in bear populations, and that hunters were exceeding government quotas in half of the populations studied.
• Further independent studies have found that former government estimates of bear populations in BC are inaccurately high and, in reality, populations are too low to sustain current hunting levels.
• A 2012 study by the Center for Responsible Travel and Stanford University found that bear-viewing businesses in BC's Great Bear Rainforest generated 12 times more visitor spending than bear hunting.

Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International which, together with its partners, constitutes one of the world's largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide - on the Web at www.hsicanada.ca