Today, the Trump Administration announced a plan to allow hunters in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to hunt brown bears over bait. The goal is to drastically reduce the brown bear populations on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula to artificially boost moose populations for the benefit of hunters. This change is in complete contrast to what the Refuge System was created for: natural biodiversity and integrity of wildlife populations. If allowed to go forward, this rule could threaten the entire population of brown bears on the Kenai Peninsula. Wildlife refuges are federal lands and should be managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System to conserve wildlife species, including brown bears. The State of Alaska manages state lands in a different manner, but that does not negate that the Kenai NWR are federal lands and should be managed as such.

While the rule has been announced in a press release, language has not been posted yet. When the rule is published, we will be asking every friend of wildlife refuges to oppose this barbaric rule.

The Administration today also finalized a rule that reverses the regulations adopted in 2015 by the Obama Administration to protect wildlife species from certain hunting practices across Alaska. These final rules will allow hunting using lights to hunt bears in their dens, using bait to attract black and brown bears, using dogs to hunt black bears and hunting caribou from boats. These cruel and unsportsmanlike practices should be permanently banned, but instead are being put forward as the future of hunting in Alaska.

Today is a devastating day for wildlife in Alaska.