Environment

Five countries list the polar bear as threatened

by Amy Judd | March 21, 2009 at 03:36 pm

498 views | 35 Recommendations | 7 comments

Five countries, the United States, Norway, Canada, Russia and Denmark, have all come together to list the polar bear as threatened by climte change. They say this is the longest term threat to the bears.

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Polar bear sitting in tundra without snow - signs of global warming

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Scientists from all these countries had a three day meeting and came to this conclusion. They want the global community to help protect these bears. Canada has a special responsibility with over two-thirds of the population of polar bears residing there.

Ther are those from countries ringing the Arctic who do not agree the bears need to be singled out for protection in the face of climate change. Fernando Ugarte is the head of mammal and bird science at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and he stated the government was concerned that the rising pressure to protect bears, particularly in the face of global warming, might prompt other countries to press Greenland to clamp down on hunting.

“I am not sure there is a scientific reason to appoint polar bears as the main icon of climate change,” he said by telephone in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.

The biggest threat is sea ice loss in the Canadian arctic.

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sara star

at 17:37 on March 21st, 2009

To Fernando Ugarte, my reply is this: Because it is a sign that the arctic ecosystem is out of whack. We are all interdependent.

Why is this species important?
Of all of the wildlife species in the Arctic, the polar bear is perhaps the most fitting icon for this ecoregion. Its amazing adaptations to life in the harsh Arctic environment and dependence on sea ice make them so impressive, and yet so vulnerable. Large carnivores are sensitive indicators of ecosystem health. Polar bears are studied to gain an understanding of what is happening throughout the Arctic as a polar bear at risk is often a sign of something wrong somewhere in the arctic marine ecosystem.

Fernando Ugarte (not verified)

at 10:49 on March 24th, 2009

Dear Sara Star,

I am afraid the quote was truncated and taken out of context. I was trying to make the same point that you made above: the whole arctic ecosystem is affected by climate change, and the polar bear is not the only species at risk. The list includes species such as narwhal, bowhead whale, walrus, hooded seals, ringed seals, ivory gull, and many more. All these species are amazingly adapted to a life in the arctic and are heading for trouble as the extent of the sea-ice diminishes.

Jennings David L

at 18:31 on March 21st, 2009

Good story to bring awareness to those who may be in denial about the changes to our climate.

Victoria.cats

at 19:37 on March 21st, 2009

Did you guys know that Polar Bears are going extinct!!!!!!!?????????? Probably because of global warming.... I LOVE POLAR BEARS!!!!!!!! Help save them!!!!!!!

Victoria.cats has contributed a photo to this story.