SAVE THE
POLAR BEAR
Polar bears face extinction not only because of climate change but also because of trophy hunting. We ask the EU and global leaders to push for a full hunting ban and the highest level of international protection.
Polar bears are facing two major threats: global warming and trophy hunting. In Canada and Greenland, trophy hunting is still allowed, with Canada permitting the killing of nearly 700 polar bears each year. The exact number of polar bears is unknown, and current estimates are poor.
Although polar bears are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, the immediate danger to their survival is hunting, not just climate change. If hunting continues, polar bears could disappear forever, regardless of what happens to the climate.
We cannot allow the further destruction of polar bear populations. That is why some citizens of Eumans have decided to launch the initiative “Save the Polar Bear,” supported by citizens who are passionate about preserving this iconic species.
TO PROTECT POLAR BEARS FROM EXTINCTION, WE MUST ACT NOW: JOIN THE INITIATIVE!
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Leave your details to join the campaign to protect polar bears. We’ll keep you informed and invite you to take part in upcoming actions.
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Polar Bear Hunting: A Hidden Problem We Can't Ignore
Many believe the main threat to polar bear survival is climate change, but the reality is very different. Trophy hunting, where animals are hunted for parts of their bodies like fur or heads to display as status symbols, is one of the main causes of death for these magnificent creatures. For almost 50 years, those profiting from the exploitation of polar bears have helped make this issue a taboo, even though the immediate impact of hunting is much greater than that of climate change.
Although the polar bear is considered a vulnerable species, nearly 45,000 have been killed since 1973 — almost 1,000 every year. And hunting is the main threat to its survival. While the climate crisis and the loss of Arctic sea ice are serious threats to the remaining 20,000 polar bears in the wild, hunting is an unsustainable pressure on a species already in danger.
Each year, about 700 polar bears are killed in Canada, some by Inuit hunters and others as trophies by foreign hunters. Half of the bears killed are exported as fur or other body parts. Polar bears are already struggling to survive; exposing them to this additional threat will inevitably drive them to extinction.
Only public pressure can stop this tragedy, but the first step is awareness. The world needs to understand that without concrete action, hunting will threaten the very existence of polar bears, far more than climate change ever will!
OUR FOUR STRATEGIC PILLARS
We propose four actions to create a future where polar bears are safe from hunting and protected from the effects of climate change:
- MAXIMUM LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR POLAR BEARS THROUGH CITES
We urge the European Commission to push for the inclusion of the polar bear in Appendix I of CITES at the COP to be held in Uzbekistan in November 2025. What does this mean in practice?
CITES is a multilateral treaty signed by 185 parties designed to ensure that international trade in animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild. It categorizes species based on the level of protection they need into three different appendices. Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction and offers the highest level of protection, including restrictions on commercial trade.
By placing the polar bear in this appendix, it will receive stronger protection and ensure that trophy hunting of polar bears is stopped.
- STOPPING TROPHY HUNTING OF POLAR BEARS
We call on all countries, especially those that still allow trophy hunting, to act and stop this cruel and unsustainable practice. The polar bear deserves full protection.
- SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS
We support local and international initiatives that protect polar bear habitats and address the effects of global warming. Contrary to what hunters claim, numerous studies show that eco-sustainable tourism is more profitable and sustainable than trophy hunting.
We aim to promote funding for conservation projects led by indigenous peoples, which combine cultural traditions and sustainability, creating lasting and effective solutions.
- ADVOCACY
We want citizens and environmental organizations to join forces and urge the European Commission to make the protection of polar bears a priority
“It’s unfair that public money funds a cruel and unsustainable system that harms the collective good.”
Giulia Innocenzi
Director of the documentary
Food for Profit