eBay Asked to Stop Auctions of Guided Trophy Hunts

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Big Wildlife and the Alaska Wildlife Alliance say eBay auction sales of guided trophy hunts put the survival of these species at greater risk.

In a letter sent Wednesday to eBay chief executive John Donahoe, the groups said, "the company's promotion of hunting these animals is adding to the many threats these species face."

"Have the lives of Canada's grizzly bears, wolves and other large carnivores become so cheapened by the purveyors of trophy hunting that selling an opportunity to kill one is now as commonplace as trying to unload a kitchen appliance or baseball cards on eBay?" asked Chris Genovali, executive director of the British Columbia based Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

A quick search on eBay turned up auctions for bear hunting in Wisconsin that offers transport "to and from the baits at prime hunting hours;" an Alaska hunt offering black bear, wolf, and wolverine; and a hunt in northern Ontario that offers the "opportunity to harvest a big Canadian black bear."

Black bear taken by a hunter in Washington state (Photo by Mike Quinn)

Black bears are not classed as endangered in Canada or in the northern United States. Black bears are listed as a threatened subspecies in Louisiana, eastern Texas and southern Mississippi under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Under the Endangered Species Act, gray wolves are listed as endangered in the lower 48 states, except Minnesota, where they are listed as threatened. Wolves in Alaska are not listed under the Act.

In March 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to protect wolverines under the Endangered Species Act because wolverines are not endangered in Canada. The nonprofit group Defenders of Wildlife is now challenging this decision.

Last year, eBay announced a global ban on sales of ivory products after an International Fund for Animal Welfare report revealed the online auction site was helping to fuel illegal trade in wildlife products.

While the three groups said they are encouraged by eBay's ban on ivory auctions, their recent review of the eBay website found hunting sales complete with photos of grizzlies and other carnivores killed for trophies.

"Most people visit eBay to buy vintage dolls, used cameras or lawn furniture. Few eBay users know the company also auctions off the lives of some of our planet's most magnificent carnivores. eBay has become an online marketplace peddling the slaughter of wolves, bears and cougars," said Brian Vincent, Big Wildlife's communication director.

The wildlife advocates said expansive trophy hunting of top predators ignores the importance these species play in natural systems.

They pointed out that top predators such as wolves help regulate the food web, sustain ecological integrity and preserve species diversity. heir disappearance triggers changes in abundance of other species in an ecosystem and the intricate connections among the remaining species can unravel.

The groups have been working to end trophy hunting of grizzly and brown bears in British Columbia and Alaska. The bears face threats from habitat loss, declining salmon, mortality from trophy hunting, poaching, and international trade in bear parts.

Last year a record 430 grizzly bears were killed in British Columbia. Close to 1,500 brown and grizzly bears are killed annually in Alaska. Some of these bears are shot in the Katmai National Preserve, one of the premier bear viewing areas in the world.

"The same is true in B.C.," said Genovali. "The spring grizzly hunt is only seven weeks away and bears and wolves can be legally shot for sport in our provincial parks and protected areas."

The groups recommended a list of trophy hunting videos for Donahoe to watch, saying, "We encourage you to watch the videos of trophy hunting these animals at the following links to see the reality behind these guided hunts. While these videos are disturbing, we believe it is important that you understand the kind of activities eBay is condoning."

"We look forward to reviewing the communication sent to us by Big Wildlife, Raincoast Conservation, and the Alaska Wildlife Alliance in regards to the sale of guided trophy hunts, and are in the process of opening a dialogue with them to understand their most recent concerns," an eBay spokesperson told ENS Friday.

"eBay strictly forbids the sale of any illegal item for services on all of its platforms and there are specific policies in place that enforce this," the spokesperson said, adding that the company's legal and policy experts "constantly review, refresh and streamline our policies closely collaborating with international and domestic law enforcement authorities, regulatory agencies, non-governmental organizations and our community of buyers and sellers."

"We are always open to working with NGOs with expertise in these areas and have done so in the past to fine tune our policies regarding issues such as the sale of ivory and the sale of 'canned hunts,' or those that guarantee the killing of a specific animal," said the company representative.

Click here for eBay.com’s full Animal and Wildlife Policy. The recent policy clarification regarding the sale of canned hunts is available here.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.