WASHINGTON – Politicians from northern Canada want to allow U.S. hunters to continue to kill polar bears for sport.
The politicians were in Washington, D.C., on Monday to press their appeal.
The politicians want the Interior Department to continue allowing U.S. sportsmen to bring back polar bear hides after their hunts in Canada’s Arctic region.
The request comes despite the increased protection now afforded the bear under the Endangered Species Act.
The United States bans sport hunting of polar bears, but Canada does not, although it restricts the hunting season to two months and limits the number of kills.
The recent decision to declare the polar bear threatened under the Endangered Species Act also means U.S. sportsmen may no longer bring home trophy skins — which is what hunting’s high-rollers actually prize.