Endangered Bears

Endangered Bears throughout the World

Bears are big mammals that belong to carnivorous family. They have a hairy body, a short tail and small round ears. They learn with their heels and their sole to walk as human beings, but they have four fingers instead of five. Bears are very much endangered. The endangered species of bears are: polar, giant panda, brown, grizzly, Koloa, black American, black Asiatic, and Malay. The panda bear is a probably the most famous endangered animal, only existing today in six small areas located in inland China. It is estimated that there are somewhere around 700 and 1000 giant panda still alive in the wild.

Due to the human beings, bears live in separate zones of mountains, woods, and artic regions. There are few bears that live in these areas because of the hunting and the destruction of their habitat. The hunters kill bears just for their skin and fur. Black marketers, illegally trading in bear parts, hunters prefer black bear parts as opposed to grizzly bear parts. There have been many investigations of bear poaching and in the past there has been conflict as to whether the parts are from a grizzly bear or a black bear. Traders say they arenÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦t interested in grizzly parts. With the investigations it shows that there are fewer grizzly bears than black bears, and that alone will bring up concern if and when grizzly are being poached. On the other hand there are some, people who exhibit bears in zoos and others move them to safer areas.

All eight endangered bear species, are listed under the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora thus prohibiting international commercial trade in their parts and product. The Asiatic black bear, brown bear, grizzly bear, Malayan bear, Koloa bear, and giant panda. Other species, including the polar bear and the American black bear are listed on Appendix II which means some international trade in their parts and derivatives can occur, under very specific regulations. In the United States today some scientist estimate that more than 550 species of animals are threatened with extinction, among them the glacier and grizzly bears.

The Bear Protection Act (S. 263), anti-poaching legislation introduced by Senator Mitch McConnell, is an effort to eliminate the incentive to kill bear illegally and profit by the sale of their internal organs, particularly the gallbladder and bile. The Bear Protection Act represents a thoughtful, pro-active approach to wildlife protection that will contribute to the long-term conservation of the worldÐ'ÐŽÐ'¦s remaining bear