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Help Stop the International Polar Bear Trade

Target: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Sponsored by: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

In some countries, collectors can still buy polar bear skin rugs, claws, skulls and other parts of these animals -- even as these beloved bears struggle for survival in a warming world.

The U.S. can strengthen protections for polar bears under international law by proposing to restrict trade in polar bear products -- a move that could save the lives of hundreds of bears each year. But officials need to hear from you.

Take action now -- Sign Defenders of Wildlife's petition to urge the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to propose an international ban on the trade of polar bear products.

Please take action today -- the deadline for comments is Friday, September 11th. Thank you!

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 5,000

6,113
signatures!

Send Letter see who signed this

Success! Your voices were heard.
The Obama administration and the Department of the Interior heard you loud and clear, and have agreed to propose an international ban on the trade of polar bear products.

According to Defenders of Wildlife, "The proposal would transfer the polar bear from CITES Appendix II, which allows regulated international commercial trade, to Appendix I, which prohibits all international commercial trade in the listed species. The purpose of CITES is to prevent over-exploitation of species through international trade.

The Appendix I designation would mean that countries agree to prohibit international trade for primarily commercial purposes and thus ensure that it will not contribute to the ongoing decrease in polar bear numbers. Appendix I listing will not affect native subsistence hunting or use of polar bears."

To the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

As a Defenders of Wildlife supporter and someone who cares about polar bears and other wildlife, I am writing today to encourage the U.S. government to move forward with a proposal to provide more protections for polar bears through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The move to uplist polar bears from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I would end the trade of polar bear parts and products (like bear skin rugs) for primarily commercial purposes, preventing the deaths of hundreds of these struggling animals every year.

Rising temperatures are already melting the sea ice habitat that polar bears depend on for survival. In fact, a recent study from the Technical University in Denmark indicates that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free as early as 2015.

Polar bears are facing so many threats -- including oil and gas exploration, pollution, poaching and global warming -- that these amazing animals could disappear from the U.S. by mid-century.

The U.S. can and should take the lead in protecting these magnificent animals on the international front by submitting a proposal to the CITES Secretariat to uplist polar bears to Appendix I.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

We took action on “Help Stop the International Polar Bear Trade”!

# 6,115:

12:43 pm PDT, Oct 19, Jamile Moraes, Brazil

# 6,114:

10:54 am PDT, Oct 19, Blair Gibson, Canada

# 6,113:

10:31 am PDT, Oct 19, ARIETTA MARINITSI, Greece

# 6,112:

10:28 am PDT, Oct 19, Tamera Fishelroberson, Washington
if we keep allowing the export of these animals parts, we're condoning and enabling the destruction of our own habitat. Human beings are the ones responsible for the decline of our world, let's be the ones responsible for bring it back to health!

# 6,111:

10:10 am PDT, Oct 19, Rob Meyer, Netherlands

# 6,110:

9:43 am PDT, Oct 19, VEYSSIERE Doniscia, France

# 6,109:

9:29 am PDT, Oct 19, Julie Witherow, United Kingdom
This has to STOP

# 6,108:

9:16 am PDT, Oct 19, Marie Ryan, Oregon

# 6,107:

8:43 am PDT, Oct 19, GSTALTER Joyce, France

# 6,106:

4:56 am PDT, Oct 19, Vik Tracey, United Kingdom

# 6,105:

3:24 am PDT, Oct 19, Italia Rodriquez, Pennsylvania
THIS IS HORRIBLE AND UNEXCEPTABLE. THESE ANIMALS NEVER HARM ANYONE. THEY ARE THE MOST FRIENDLIEST CREATURES ON EARTH AND I DONT SEE HOW ANYONE CAN HARM THEM. I AM 100% AGAINST ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. AND I AM HOPING MORE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SIGN THIS PETITION AND THAT IT REALLY GETS SOMEWHERE BECAUSE BESIDES ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE WORLD PEOPLE DONT STOP TO REALIZE THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH ANIMALS AND THEY ARE A SMALL PART OF LIFE IN OUR WORLD THAT NEVER TURNS THEIR BACK ON US EVEN IF THEY DONT HAVE A VOICE TO SPEAK UP................................................................................................................................................................... "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Gandhi

# 6,104:

3:06 am PDT, Oct 19, Angeles Barretta, France

# 6,103:

2:07 am PDT, Oct 19, Amanda Pritsilagos, South Africa
why is this even a debate?? wake up, if we don not save the artic, its just not the polare bears that go its us as well. so please if you cant do for the polare bears then do it for yoyur self and your children, that really will have no natural enviroment. how sad and empty? so please save the artic

# 6,102:

2:07 am PDT, Oct 19, Camille Cottin, France

# 6,101:

12:00 am PDT, Oct 19, Lee Wyatt, Washington
You can make a change. This planet needs our help.

# 6,100:

11:10 pm PDT, Oct 18, POPOVICI ECATERINA ROXANA, Romania

# 6,099:

8:18 pm PDT, Oct 18, Venkatesan Parthasarathy, India

# 6,098:

6:41 pm PDT, Oct 18, Esther Jong, Australia
Thank you Equlin For senting me a mail. How are you? Yes I am fine thank you. Bye From Esther Jong in 7A

# 6,097:

5:45 pm PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, West Virginia

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3:55 pm PDT, Oct 18, Ornella Prota, Italy

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3:37 pm PDT, Oct 18, Madlen Shirinyan, Bulgaria

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2:46 pm PDT, Oct 18, Chloe Plumstead, United Kingdom

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2:45 pm PDT, Oct 18, Andrea Rovas, Venezuela

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2:40 pm PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, Massachusetts

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2:06 pm PDT, Oct 18, Jade Humphrey, United Kingdom

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1:29 pm PDT, Oct 18, Lina Kamenova, Bulgaria

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1:10 pm PDT, Oct 18, Giovagnoni Flora, France

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1:04 pm PDT, Oct 18, Irina Sheikova, Russian Federation

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12:21 pm PDT, Oct 18, Sophie Koch, Germany

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12:13 pm PDT, Oct 18, Mira Kirmanen, Portugal

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11:59 am PDT, Oct 18, Liane Choiniere, Michigan

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11:55 am PDT, Oct 18, Zarrina Sayfi, Uzbekistan

# 6,083:

10:20 am PDT, Oct 18, Danijela Dimitrakopoulos, Serbia And Montenegro

# 6,082:

10:08 am PDT, Oct 18, Irina Kovtun, Ukraine
STOP!!!

# 6,081:

9:52 am PDT, Oct 18, S639amazone S639amazone, France
Stop it !

# 6,080:

8:15 am PDT, Oct 18, Filiz Onder, Turkey

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7:17 am PDT, Oct 18, Colette Walsh, United Kingdom

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6:27 am PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, Philippines

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6:22 am PDT, Oct 18, Almudena Garcia, Spain

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5:29 am PDT, Oct 18, Cyn Rich, North Carolina

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4:58 am PDT, Oct 18, Polly Fassouli, Greece

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4:41 am PDT, Oct 18, Елена Турутина, Russian Federation

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3:14 am PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, France

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2:22 am PDT, Oct 18, Lucette Cabrilhac, France

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2:22 am PDT, Oct 18, Marie-france Zamblera, France

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2:21 am PDT, Oct 18, Patrick Prout, France

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2:21 am PDT, Oct 18, Caroline Prout, France

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2:20 am PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, France

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1:42 am PDT, Oct 18, Maria Freitas, Portugal

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1:04 am PDT, Oct 18, Samantha Pulsford, Australia

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12:09 am PDT, Oct 18, Becky Clayton, Texas

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9:18 pm PDT, Oct 17, Elise Peh, Malaysia

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7:56 pm PDT, Oct 17, Oriana Davila, Venezuela

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6:06 pm PDT, Oct 17, Sabrina Viel, Argentina

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3:59 pm PDT, Oct 17, Penny Fries, New York

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3:59 pm PDT, Oct 17, Giovanna Villani, Brazil

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3:21 pm PDT, Oct 17, Perrine FRINDEL, France

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2:57 pm PDT, Oct 17, A. S, Germany

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2:21 pm PDT, Oct 17, Simone Armer, South Africa

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2:16 pm PDT, Oct 17, Roberta Bonassin, Croatia

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1:57 pm PDT, Oct 17, Kristen Lamb, New York

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1:44 pm PDT, Oct 17, Zhang Andree, France

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1:29 pm PDT, Oct 17, Yasmin Ghalim, Canada

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1:29 pm PDT, Oct 17, Irene Kurkina, Ukraine

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1:08 pm PDT, Oct 17, Patricia Otvosova, Slovakia

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