Save Virginia Bears ~ In Defense of Animals

100 hunters will "win" a lottery to hunt black bears in our wildlife refuge. Only after 20 black bears are reported dead will an order be made to stop hunting.

It’s not to stop runaway bear overpopulation.
It’s not to protect public safety.
It’s sport hunting, killing for personal pleasure.
It’s killing for the sake of killing.
And it’s wrong.

Throughout out the U.S., a number of wilderness areas have been declared to be "wildlife refuges." Our Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is one of them. The public has rightfully assumed that wildlife in these areas are protected and safe.

We are now told that an organized hunt will be conducted in our wildlife refuge.

It’s a wildlife refuge. It’s not a hunting ranch for trophy seekers.

Black bears are usually fearful of humans. Unlike grizzly bears, black bears are seldom aggressive towards humans. Bear attacks are very rare, and have never been documented in Virginia.

This should be cancelled. A wildlife refuge should be safe for wildlife.