Saturday August 1, 2009, 5:45 pm


NOTE from BigWildlife: According to the bill's sponsors, "The Bear Protection Act is crafted narrowly to address the harmful trade in bear gallbladders and bile without impacting a state’s ability to make fundamental decisions regarding bear management." [emphasis added] While Big Wildlife supports the bill, believes it is a necessary first step to cracking down on the trade in bear parts, and praises Reps. Grijalva and Campbell for introducing this vital legislation, our organization is committed to ultimately ending outright bear "management" policies that promote trophy hunting of these animals and employ aggressive government lethal control of bears. We are currently working to halt these brutal, unethical, scientifically indefensible, and unnecessary policies.

The United States should have a simple, uniform policy against the killing of bears for their gallbladders. Demand for bear parts has already decimated Asian bear populations including the endangered Asiatic black bear. Recent research shows that bear gallbladders and bile are being sold on both legal and illegal markets in the U.S. Gallbladders from North American bears are being obtained illegally and either marketed here or exported, while gallbladders and prepared products containing bile from endangered Asian bears are brought into the U.S. illegally and sold, primarily for use in traditional Asian medicine.

There currently exists a patchwork of state laws regulating the bear parts trade: some states allow unfettered trade in these organs, most prohibit it, and still others allow the trade if the bears were killed in another state. But once the gallbladder is removed, it is practically impossible to prove where the bear was killed. Thus, the continued trade from a small minority of states thwarts the wildlife management laws of the majority of states by facilitating a black market in bear galls. By uniformly prohibiting the trade in bear parts, the Bear Protection Act will assist state law enforcement officers in their effort to protect their resident bear populations.

Saturday August 1, 2009, 5:46 pm


Contact information for your U.S. Representative .....

http://www.house.gov/

Saturday August 1, 2009, 5:46 pm


Contact information for your U.S. Senators....

http://www.senate.gov/

Saturday August 1, 2009, 7:40 pm
Thanks Cher

Saturday August 1, 2009, 8:02 pm
Action taken, thanks Cher.

Sunday August 2, 2009, 1:21 am
This is awful! Black bears mustn't be killed for their organs!

Sunday August 2, 2009, 8:55 am
china man i tell you if it isint bear part's ,it's tiger part's and now it's shark finn these people are going to wipe out ervery natural reasourse that there is maybe its a good thing to wipe them all out becauce there is no future fore these poor animal's as long as man is in charge,it makes me sick that these people are alloud to keep on doing this.

Sunday August 2, 2009, 9:25 am
Thanxx Cher, man as always lookiing to profit from whatever they can get... amkes me sick.. these poor bears...

Sunday August 2, 2009, 10:25 am



Thnx everyone!!!

Sunday August 2, 2009, 1:47 pm
Thanks Cher,
Ive got black bears around hear. they are thinking of having an "open season" as they feel they overpopulated and becoming more aggressive, it makes me sick and I let them know.

Sunday August 2, 2009, 2:25 pm
Thank you again Cher for bringing an important story to our attention! This is a BIG international trade problem that affects black bear populations around the world. It has been noted right across Canada. Pleeeeze somebody who cares about bears and has time on their hands, start a petition to hit those blankety-blank bustards with the clout of international laws that would lead to a lot of thinking time in prison! Fines make them laugh. They make enormous profits. Obviously somebody ripped their hearts out long ago!

Sunday August 2, 2009, 2:28 pm
What????? Noted with pure disgust! Guess I will be busy writting letters tomorrow.

Sunday August 2, 2009, 5:35 pm
Noted and emails sent to my reps and my senators. Thanks Cher

Sunday August 2, 2009, 9:40 pm
Done, with pleaure,
Tx Cher x

Sunday August 2, 2009, 11:27 pm
THANKS CHER...........

Monday August 3, 2009, 12:47 am
Bears are my favourite animal - LEAVE THEM ALONE DAMMIT! We're the ones encroaching on THEIR habitat not vice versa >.> Ban all trade in bear parts and end this NOW - RAWR! *fuming*

Monday August 3, 2009, 5:20 am
Thanks Cher noted, crossposted and action taken

Monday August 3, 2009, 6:58 pm


Thnx so much everyone!!!