Trapping communities, participating in scientific wildlife management programmes, use trapping to control animal overpopulation problems, avoiding imbalances that can bring disease and damage to both animal populations and their natural habitats. They seek to conserve the world's natural resources and ensure through international co-operation that man's use of them is sustainable. The international fur trade, through the IFTF, works closely with both organisations. Such research has been financed by the fur industry itself, in co-operation with the Canadian and US governments. The remainder occurs in countries as far apart as Argentina, the Baltic States, Ukraine and Russia.
Fur farming is a well regulated farming activity.
European furriers have been organised in guilds, since at least the 14th century. For many centuries, furriers made caps, gloves, muffs, collars and linings for cloaks and coats. But it was only in the 19th century that fur garments were worn showing the hair on the outside. Many skills are involved in the transformation of fur from pelt to luxury garment. Before pelts come to auction they are scraped and dried to prevent decay.