The Arctic animal's habitat is melting.

Female Polar Bear and Cubs Steven Amstrup, USGS

It's official: polar bears are in trouble. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne has announced that he is accepting the recommendation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the polar bear as a "threatened" species under the Endangered Species Act. That means the bear is just one step from becoming "endangered," a category reserved for species on the brink of extinction.

Kempthorne's decision to list the bear is based on studies that show a severe decline in Arctic sea ice over the last decade, along with computer models that predict continued melting. Polar bears travel across sea ice to hunt for seals and other prey, and are likely to starve if these frozen hunting grounds disappear.

Today's announcement is an acknowledgement by the Bush Administration that climate change is putting wildlife in peril. However, the issuance of the listing does nothing to stop the melting of the Arctic ice cap. Nor does it guarantee the survival of the polar bear.

Kempthorne said that although he is compelled by law to list the polar bear as threatened, he is taking administrative and regulatory action to limit the scope of his decision so that the Endangered Species Act "isn't abused to make global warming policies." Meanwhile, Republicans in the Senate made another unsuccessful attempt yesterday to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

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8 Comments

Hey anyone going to give payouts for ENDANGERED ppx stocks? If you are, then hurry up! I'm waiting for the money...hehehe

Polar bears are endangered of drowning or being forgotten?

This is not any sort of revelation: Polar bears declared a threatened species , but it does raise the question: Why do we care? By some estimates, 90% of all species that once existed are now extinct and new species are always taking their place. For the species that’s going to become extinct, for whatever reason, extinction is the end of it. However, for the species that remain, is the extinction of another species good or bad. When Europeans first colonized North America, there was an estimated five (5) billion Passenger Pigeons alive and well in North America. In 1914, they were extinct. Passenger Pigeons didn’t live in little groups, but huge flocks that required extraordinary quantities of hardwood forests for them to feed, breed and survive. Deforestation to build homes, create farmland and over hunting for cheap food decimated their population. The westward drive to grow the United States in the 1800s and early 1900s was incompatible with the needs of the Passenger Pigeon and they literally could not survive in the new North America being carved out by the U.S. economy. The interesting thing about the Passenger Pigeon was the impact its extinction had on another species—man. That impact was essentially none. Man continued to find ways to feed himself through agriculture and other technologies and the United States and its citizens continued to prosper from the early 20th century till today. Whether or not Polar Bears become extinct because of Global Climate Change or other reasons, we need to address the larger question of: Do we care and why? One of the ways a nation, its citizens and the global community can answer that question is addressed by John A. Warden III in Thinking Strategically About Global Climate Change. He asks some interesting biodiversity questions in his post to include How Many Species Is the Right Number and Which Ones?

Strategy without Tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without Strategy is the noise before the defeat.--Sun Tzu

Funny how the article lacks any backround information other than opinion. No numbers or anything that might back the reasoning for the discision......Just opinion and a Cute Picture
Oh and Of course, a rip on those Nasty Repulicans for wanting to drill on a small 200 acre plot in a 200M acre area...

Popular Pablum

In alberta and british columbia the pine beetle has destroyed about 2million hectares of lodgepole pine trees they are decaying and -latest report giving off 5 times the amount of co2 that all of the cars and industry in Canada including the tar sands oil recovery programs.Why has global temp not increased proportionally?Recent volcanoes and forest fires are spewing millions of tons of co2 so2 etc -Why has the global temp not risen?How did Amundsen sail through the North West passage in 1904 and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ship The St. Roch do it again in 1934? Where was the Arctic ice then? As for polar bears -they number 24-25000 the highest number on record some are lean because of the numbers and available food.Furthermore if there is no ice, the seals will have their pups on land.Polar bears can easily swim 50+miles so the wont drown they love water.The enviro whakos will use the polar bear to prevent oil exploration. polar bears have been here for 1000's of years they wont be gone in 50 years .the world renowned CLIMATOLOGIST AL GORE--(OF ABSOLUTELY NO CREDENTIALS)WOULD LIKE US TO BELIEVE THE CRAPOLA HE HAS BEEN SPREADING HISTERICALLY.I am astounded that the suits who publish pop sci are so naive and gulliuble. What is popular Science mag's carbon footprint-using trees and trucks to publish and distribute your magazine.P.S. why is solar activity always left out of the discussions on climate,in spite of the fact it has such profound effects on climate? FOLLOW AL GORE AND THE MONEY.

I dont care if it's fact or oppinion..... it matters. And even their oppinions are true... you want to know why??? because of the fact of how people treat this world... you dont need citations inorder to read the article and listen to it.... and the reason why it has a cute picture is to see if maybe more people will care and pay attention if it gets their attention

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thanks

In 1914, they were extinct. Passenger Pigeons didn’t live in little groups, but huge flocks that required extraordinary quantities of hardwood forests for them to feed, breed and survive. Deforestation to build homes, create farmland and over hunting for cheap food decimated their population.



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