Trump Has Now Lifted Restrictions On Hunting Of Bears And Wolves In Alaska

Trump recently signed an order rolling back restrictions on hunting predators in Alaska wildlife refuges, targeting bears and wolves. Find out more here.

Allison Sapien
Created by Allison Sapien
On Apr 4, 2017
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For years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has maintained significant restrictions on hunting predators, like wolves and bears, in order to keep up a balanced ecosystem and protect the species.

Now, however, Donald Trump has signed a resolution to revoke the Fish and Wildlife Service's rule banning the majority of predator control in Alaska, where predators can kill up to 80% of the caribou and moose populations.

According to Republican Don Young, this is not a matter of conservation but a matter of enforcing a law which allows Alaska to set its own rules about hunting.

Some of you will say, 'Oh, we have to protect the wolf puppies.' That's not what it's about. It's about the law.

Don Young

SF Gate, April 4, 2017

However, concerns remain about the overkilling of predators for the sake of sport. Alaska has previously authorized the overharvest of predator populations to the point that predator control became a court issue. Now, both in and out of state experts are concerned about what might happen to grizzly bears if all protections are lifted.

Brown bear biologists from both the state side and the federal side had real concerns about the amount of unlimited harvest and the amount of females that would be taken by what was proposed by the state.

Geoff Haskett, Former Alaskan Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

SF Gate, April 4, 2017

However, some are hopeful that this simply means there will be more case-by-case approval and not simply sweeping hunting of predator species.

It doesn't change the laws and authorities and existing regulations that the service already has. It's really back to square one.

Geoff Haskett, Former Alaskan Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

SF Gate, April 4, 2017

But now, what we want to know is...

Do you think Trump is right to lift restrictions on hunting predators on refuges in Alaska?

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