'Polar Bears will become extinct if trophy hunting doesn't end,' warns conservationist

Ole Liodden, an award-winning wildlife photographer and conservationist has warned that the polar bears will die out if the trophy hunting expeditions is not put to an end. Highlighting the urgency of banning trophy hunting, the wildlife conservationist, who has reportedly spent four years working on a wildlife project blames hunting and poaching as the biggest threat to the species.

According to the reports, Liodden urged the world to stop hunting the polar bears for commercial skin trade and give the species a chance at survival. He said that polar bear was a swank animal amongst the hunters, and the trade and export of polar bear teeth, skin and paws continue unabated. To make the matter even worse, they are struggling to survive the climate change and the loss of the Arctic sea ice on which polar bears hunt. These have also contributed to the decline in the polar bear population, said Liodden.

Read US LANL Scientist Pleads Guilty To Lying About Involvement With Chinese Govt Program

Read Australia Confirms 3 Virus Cases In New South Wales

At present, the population of polar bears has dwindled to 20,000. Canada, home of two-third of the world’s polar bears, reportedly allows export and trading of the polar bears arguing that there isn’t enough scientific evidence to depict the alarming population collapse.

Species has the lowest reproduction rate

Conservationist Liodden told the media that the species has the lowest reproduction rate and low cub survival rate, which is also pushing the species to the brink of rapid extinction. Nearly 9,000 polar bears were killed and traded by the hunters between 2007 and 2016 in the Arctic. As per scientists' estimates, over 50,000 polar bears have been killed since 1960 – twice as many as today’s remaining population, reports suggest.

Liodden contributed the vast majority of polar bear population reduction to unsustainable hunting by wealthy clients in the past 30 years. The polar bear trophy hunting began in the USA, Alaska in 1940, as per the reports, and was banned in 1972. However, many cases of unrestrained hunting have emerged despite the ban because of its expensive skin (£250,000).

Read Wildlife Park Owner From Louis Theroux Documentary Jailed For 22 Years

Read Australia Govt Announces $34m For Fire-hit Wildlife