US loses polar bear proposal at international meeting, Inuit win, say need to kill 600 polar bears a yr. for economic reasons-BBC

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3/7/13, "Polar bear trade ban vote defeated at meeting," BBC, McGrath

"A proposal by the US to ban cross-border trade in polar bears and their parts was defeated on Thursday at an international meeting. The result marks a victory for Canada's indigenous Inuit people over their bigger neighbour to the south.

Delegates at the Cites meeting in Thailand rejected the proposal to change the bear's status from a species whose trade is regulated, not banned. A similar proposal was defeated three years ago at the last Cites meeting.

The latest plan fell far short of the two-thirds needed to pass the Bangkok conference. It garnered 38 votes in favour, 42 against and 46 abstentions. 

There are about 25,000 polar bears left in the world with an estimated 16,000 living in the Canadian Arctic. Canada is the only country that permits the export of polar bear parts. 

Each year around 600 polar bears are killed there, mainly by native hunters. According to Inuit representatives, the pelts from around 300 bears are sold for rugs. Other parts including fangs and paws are also exported. 

The Inuit say they get an average of $4,850 per pelt. They argue that this is a critical economic resource for a people that do not have much else. 

Many countries, including the US, believe the killing of the bears in these numbers is unsustainable. They were being supported in this proposal by their former cold war enemy Russia."


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