In the latest attack on our country’s park system and the wildlife who need its lands to survive, the Department of the Interior is trying to open national preserves in Alaska to bear baiting by sport hunters. 

National preserves shouldn’t allow atrocious bear hunting in the first place, much less serve as game farms. They are meant to provide habitat for species dependent on relatively undeveloped areas; to preserve a natural system—unaltered arctic tundra, boreal forest, and coastal rainforest ecosystems.

This rule turns over management to state policies that prioritize increasing numbers of wildlife for trophy hunters by targeting predators (like bears and wolves) who help keep these ecosystems in balance.

While hunting, trapping and fishing are allowed on national preserve lands in Alaska because of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, state-authorized bear-baiting, which lures bears with donuts, grease-soaked bread, etc., was banned in those areas under rules issued during the Biden and Obama administrations. This proposal would reverse years of progress!

The pathetic proposal is now available for public review and comment. To join us in submitting a comment opposing the proposal use either of the following methods:

• Go to theFederal Register website: https://www.federalregister.gov. In the search box, enter “1024-AE96”, the regulation identifier number for this rulemaking. Click on the green “Submit a Public Comment” button at the top of the document and follow the instructions for submitting comments; or 
• Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Click on Dockets tab. In the Search box, enter “1024-AE96”. Then click on the title of the rule. Next, click the “Open for Comments” box, then click the blue “Comment” box and follow the instructions for submitting comments.  
• By hard copy: Mail to: National Park Service, Regional Director, Alaska Regional Office, 240 West 5th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501. Comments delivered on external storage devices (flash drives, compact discs, etc.) will not be accepted.

WHY STOPPING THIS MATTERS

•Bait stations are basically “feeding the bears”—exactly what we don’t want to see in parks because bears become food conditioned. Bear baiting is a particularly harmful activity for wildlife, natural ecosystems and national park visitors. A 2024 scientific study  describes how bear baiting alters natural bear behaviors and can cause dangerous conditions for people visiting these areas managed by the National Park Service. Bears defend bait stations as they would any other food source, and that can be dangerous for hikers or other visitors in the area.

•These are national lands that belong to all Americans. This rule disregards the National Park Service’s duty to manage these lands under federal conservation laws. In effect, this hands over total control to state agencies that may not share a commitment to long-term biodiversity.

•The proposed changes to “closure procedures” make it harder for the public to stay informed about how our lands are being managed. We need more transparency and easier ways to participate in these decisions, not a return to outdated notification systems that limit our voice.

Thank you for your help! These comments help shape policy, defend against rollbacks of environmental protections, and ensure that the voices of wild animals are considered in decisions about land use, permits, and federal funding.