Wildlife Conservation

Bear Welfare: Baiting, Trapping, and Trophy Hunting

Bears across multiple species face welfare threats from baiting practices, leg-hold traps, and trophy hunting that cause significant suffering.

Key Facts

Black bears are legally hunted in 32 US states; many permit baiting
Leg-hold traps can hold bears for hours or days causing extreme injury and distress
Trophy hunting of brown bears continues in parts of Europe and North America
Bears are capable of high intelligence and complex emotional states
Where hunting is regulated, welfare standards for killing methods vary greatly

Welfare Considerations

Baiting stations attract bears repeatedly, causing stress and dependency. Leg-hold traps cause severe physical injury including self-mutilation as animals try to escape. Bears caught in snares can struggle for extended periods. Trophy hunting, even when legal, raises significant questions about suffering, since wounded animals that escape may die slowly. Bears are cognitively sophisticated animals with high capacity for suffering.

What You Can Do

Support bans on leg-hold and body-grip traps in your jurisdiction
Oppose bear baiting and demand regulation of hunting practices
Donate to bear welfare and conservation organisations
Avoid tourist experiences involving bear bile farming or performing bears
Support international agreements on humane wildlife management standards