Save the Louisiana Black Bear
Do not let the Teddy Bear go extinct
After decades of habitat destruction and degradation, Louisiana is officially hunting the Louisiana Black Bear. Though the bear was officially designated as threatened under the Endangered Species Act from 1992 to 2016, the state is now claiming that the bear population is causing issues and must be managed through hunting.
Why are we concerned?
- The black bear population in Louisiana has been stagnant, unstable, and/or declining since the bear was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2016, a trend that is detailed on pages 20-26 of ABK’s petition.
- Louisiana is basing this hunt and its current population projections on data that is at least three years old, with some subpopulation data being from 2013.
- Based on the most recent population data, highlighted in the 6th Post-Delisting Monitoring Report, the apparent survival rates for bears throughout the state have fallen below the threshold for long-term viability.
- In June 2024, Louisiana amended its “Save the Black Bear” license plate bill to remove the requirement that funds be used for habitat work and allow funds to now be used for game purposes, i.e. paying for the management of the state’s bear hunt.
- Through the hunting lottery process, 80% of bear tags were given to private landowners with at least 40 acres of land in Bear Area 4 (something that was not clearly advertised when purchasing lottery tickets), and Louisiana gave those landowners the exclusive right to sell their tags for profit to any resident of their choice.
- Though Louisiana claims this hunt is intended to alleviate the state’s nuisance bear problem, Louisiana is allowing hunters to bait the bear, initially suggesting that hunters use donuts, cinnamon rolls, and other unnatural sweets.
- The public has a right to know how the state is managing its natural resources, and Louisiana has not been transparent in the process of delisting the bear, monitoring the bear after delisting, and approving this bear hunt.