Traffic of skins of polar bears sentenced

Anne Caroline Desplanques

Monday, 23 October 2017 22:28

UPDATE
Monday, 23 October 2017 22:28

Look at this article

A montreal company is found guilty of international trafficking of fur of polar bear, a species at risk.

Fur Mont-Royal inc. pleaded guilty to having illegally exported the pelts of polar bears to China on three occasions. Pinned up by the federal agents, the company was fined $ 22,500, which will be paid to the Fund for damage to the environment.

Three skins have reached the chinese market and the other three have been intercepted by customs officers on the canadian, says Jonathan Campagna, regional director of the application of the wildlife Act for Environment and climate Change in Canada.

Mr. Campagna explained that ” Fur Mont-Royal has attempted to make the sale of skins of the Baffin bay “. However, the export of skins of polar bears of this region has been prohibited since 2010, as the sea ice disappears so quickly that the bears are more threatened than elsewhere.

Canada is the only country in the world that still allow the hunting of this animal in danger, but in certain regions only. In addition, only the traditional hunt carried out by First Nations is permitted. “For Aboriginal people, it is their main economic activity,” says Mr. Campagna.

China is the main destination of the catch. Willing to pay up to $ 20,000 for the most beautiful specimens, the chinese buyers are buying 90 % of the skins of polar bears in canada. Stimulated by the chinese demand, the hunting of polar bears is growing, according to the scientific network ArticNet, which brings together more than 150 researchers across the country.

Climate change

To protect the species, several countries, including the United States, asking to ban the fur trade of polar bear.

But the researchers of ArticNet believe that this is not the traditional hunting, but the disappearance of the sea ice, caused by climate change that threaten the iconic animal.

Fur Mont-Royal is located on rue Saint-Paul, according to the register of companies. On site, the employees indicate, however, didn’t know Fur Mont-Royal and its leader Konstantinos Dios.

►There will be less than 16 000 polar bears in the country and less than 25 000 in the world.