Chinese main buyers of polar bear fur, but trade no threat to animals

A new analysis shows Chinese consumers with an appetite forluxury have taken over from American sport hunters as the mainbuyers of Canadian polar bear fur.

But the study to be presented this week at a conference inVancouver concludes there's no reason to believe that the sale ofbear hides or other parts threatens the animal's future.

"This increasing Chinese market may have stimulated someincreased hunting, but really what it did is stimulate increasedexporting," said Ernest Cooper, a consultant who is to present hisfindings Wednesday at ArcticNet, which brings together Arcticresearchers from all fields.

Canada is the only country in the world that allows commercialtrade in polar bears.

Cooper, whose work has been sent to all governments that managepolar bears, found the number of hides exported by Canada has beengradually rising to 400 in 2013 from 266 in 2005 although 2014 sawa sharp drop.

The main market for the hides used to be American sport huntersreturning home with their trophies. But after the United States madeimporting the hides illegal, the trade shifted to China.

The Asian country bought 12 hides in 2005, but accounted for 42per cent of all hides exported from Canada between 2010 and 2014.

"The market for polar bear hides in China reflects an increasingmarket for all furs going to China," said Cooper.

Chinese buyers have been paying between $5,000 and $6,000 for anaverage hide. Top-quality examples have fetched as much as $20,000at auction.

Still, Cooper said his study offers no evidence that exportinghides leads to more hunting or threatens the population of thebears.

Trade ban could threaten conservation

Countries such as the United States have argued that allinternational trade in polar bear parts should be banned, just as isthe trade in elephant ivory. Canada, together with Inuit groupswhich co-manage the bears, has always argued that the real threat topolar bears is declining sea ice caused by climate change

Cooper found that the increase in hide exports was largely due tohunters taking advantage of high prices and selling hides thatthey'd harvested in previous years. The number of bears hunted inCanada has remained stable at about 600 a year.

"It's clear to me that the polar bear does not meet the criteriafor (increased protection)."

The bears are hunted for a variety of reasons, including forfood, to ensure safety and for cultural affirmation.

Cooper suggested that banning all trade in the mighty Arcticpredator might actually make conservation harder.

"It would potentially hurt the conservation of polar bears bytaking away the value of polar bears. One of the incentives for ahunter to register his kill is the fact he could potentially sellhis hide.

"You take away that incentive, you open the door to hunting notbeing reported and the potential of more bears being hunted."