US Fur Sales Tank Internationally

Despite the trapping industry’s sanguine spin, the fur market is bottoming out, presumably due to the global recession. The North American Fur Auctions (NAFA) named raccoon, coyote and beaver as species that usually drive the market, yet have seen the lowest sales this year. NAFA blames Russia’s declining ruble, since the country is the industry’s largest consumer. There is little money to be made from the furs, therefore fewer animals are now being trapped. Contrary to what fur trappers claim about being good wildlife managers, they trap based on fur prices and sales, not the size of animal populations.