Proposal To Kill More California Black Bears Decried

Animal Protection Institute
Wednesday, 3 April 2002

Ignoring public opinion, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has proposed a rule change that would allow hunters to kill 200 more black bears in California each year, from 1,500 to 1,700 bears. The sole justification given is to provide "additional recreational hunting opportunities" for hunters.

However, the Animal Protection Institute (API) and other wildlife advocates argue that the Department is catering to a tiny minority of California residents since less than 1% of Californians hunt, and even fewer hunt black bears.

"This proposal flies in the face of public sentiment," says API National Campaign Director Camilla Fox, "and comes without biological or ethical justification."

Some points to consider:

- Most California and U.S. residents believe sport hunting of black bears and the methods used (e.g., bowhunting, chasing bears with hounds, treeing them, and then shooting them at point blank range) are unethical, wasteful, and unnecessary. A 1995 statewide public opinion poll showed that 69% of Californians would support a measure to ban all black bear hunting.

- The DFG has a responsibility to California's citizens to manage black bears in a biologically sound, ethical, and humane manner that emphasizes the bears' ecological importance.

- The method used to estimate black bear populations is scientifically inadequate.

- One of the Department's designated criteria, or "threshold for concern," for monitoring the impact of hunting on the black bear population has been exceeded

"Increasing the hunting quota is biologically reckless and may jeopardize the health of the population," Fox says. "Instead of proposing to increase the number of bears legally hunted, the Department should be taking a conservative approach and conducting a scientifically rigorous assessment of the health of California's black bear population."

Fox will testify in opposition to the proposal on behalf of API and other national wildlife advocacy organizations at the Commission's April 5 public hearing in Long Beach, and will be available for interviews.

The Animal Protection Institute (www.api4animals.org) is a Sacramento-based national non-profit animal advocacy organization with 85,000 members, including 16,000 Californians.

California Fish & Game Commission Public Meeting Friday, April 5, 2002 - 8:30am [Long Beach City Council Chambers, 333 West Ocean Blvd.]

For more information, or to contact Animal Protection Institute, see their website at: www.api4animals.org