Black Bear poaching is a major problem in the Eastern Mountains, including Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Bear gallbladders and other parts are used in traditional Asian medicines to treat a variety of ailments. As demand for bear parts continues to increase, poachers continue to kill bears to satisfy the lucrative black market. According to the Sierra Club more than 30,000 bears are killed illegally every year.
Unfortunately right now not all states have laws that make poaching illegal. Poachers are able to kill bears in one state, and then sell the parts in another state that permits the sale. But recently Representatives Raul Grijalva (AZ) and John Campbell (CA) have introduced the Bear Protection Act, federal legislation that will help bears by banning the trade in gallbladders at the federal level.
Learn more <a href=”https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1135&s_einterest=C3C4&JServSessionIdr009=iso9ipzuu2.app20a”>here.</a>
