Two polar bears on a piece of ice in the Artic Ocean.
Credit: Svalbard, WWF España.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) charity has been working to support the trade in polar bear fur at the same time as using the animal’s image to raise funds, it can be revealed.
The creatures have long been a symbol of climate change effects due to them losing their habitat from melting ice caps and making it more difficult to source their natural prey. However, it can now be revealed they face another significant threat—that of the registered charity supposed to be championing their cause.
Despite their endangered species status, the bears are still hunted for their beautiful white furs in Canada, the only country in the world that still permits their hunting after Greenland, Russia, Norway, and the US had already banned the practice because of polar bears’ so-called ‘endangered’ status.
Canada exports between 300 and 400 polar bear pelts, mostly to China, every year, primarily to be used in the manufacture of luxury clothing or as floor rugs for people with poor taste.
Investigation reveals WWF facilitates polar bear hunting
A two-year investigation has revealed that WWF has been helping facilitate international trade in polar bear pelts from Canada with the concept that by facilitating the hunting of the species, and thus reducing its numbers, the polar bear would eventually fall into the category of ‘endangered’ and then warrant protection status.
This twisted logic has economically benefitted the WWF as it has continued to base much of its ethos on protecting the polar bear, an animal that is not actually endangered. With this revelation, there is now nothing to stop northern nations such as Russia and Norway from resuming hunting.
Despite, for literally decades, using images of polar bears precariously balancing on blocks of ice floating in the sea in their marketing, the organisation does not actually list the creature as an endangered species themselves.
WWF states polar bears not endangered
In a position statement published back in 2010, the WWF categorically state that ‘the global population has not undergone a marked decline in the recent past, and the species’ area of distribution is not restricted,’ meaning that they were not currently losing habitat space as previously suggested. Today, 15 years later, WWF maintains the same stance.
Apparently the WWF has also lobbied against a ban on trophy hunting, a position at odds with many other environmental and animal rights groups, who do not share the same opinion.
