Icon on IceInternational trade and management of Polar Bears

Hunting polar bears helps maintain cultural identity and for many Arctic communities it provides a strong link to the environment. As well as contributing to a traditional subsistence economy (e.g. food and clothing) in the Arctic, the polar bear hunt also provides an important source of income through sport hunting activities and the sale of polar bear parts and derivatives. This report examines international trade in polar bear parts and derivatives, and provides recommendations to improve the conservation and management of the global polar bear population into the future.