Alaska is being sued for allowing bear hunting from helicopters.

(CLO) Environmental organizations have filed a lawsuit to stop a helicopter-based bear hunting program aimed at protecting reindeer herds in Alaska.

Accordingly, they filed a lawsuit against the Board of Game in Alaska on Monday, seeking to block a plan that would allow park rangers to hunt bears without restrictions using helicopters over a large area – home to a protected reindeer population.

The primary role of the Hunting Management Board is to conserve and develop Alaska's wildlife resources, including establishing hunting seasons and zones.

Grizzly bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Photo: National Park Service

However, conservation groups have accused them of reinstating predator control programs without adequately considering the impact on grizzly bear and black bear populations.

The lawsuit filed in Anchorage city court alleges that since 2023, Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife employees have killed 175 grizzly bears and 5 black bears.

State officials denied the allegations, asserting that the program was aimed at protecting the reindeer population without endangering the bear population.

"We are trying to restore the reindeer population, but we will not compromise the sustainable development of bears," Douglas Vincent-Lang said when approving the new regulations in July.

Mulchatna reindeer are a large wild herd in the state of Alaska, USA. Photo: Alaska Public Media

These groups are asking the court to issue an order completely halting aerial bear hunting before spring 2026. This is a crucial time when reindeer begin breeding and mother bears bring their newborn cubs out of their dens.

According to Alaskan authorities, the reindeer population is now below 15,000, far below the target of 30,000-80,000 considered necessary to meet the hunting needs and livelihoods of the local population.

The lawsuit states that the bear population in the area is undetermined, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 North American grizzly bears based on outdated studies, while there are no figures for the black bear population.

Source: https://congluan.vn/alaska-bi-kien-vi-cho-phep-san-gau-tu-truc-thang-10317436.html