New Protection for Polar Bears

Polar bears have gotten a raw deal in recent years. The bears rely on sea ice for hunting and breeding, but because of climate change and summer ice loss in the Arctic equal to the size of Alaska, Texas and Washington states combined, their habitat is shrinking fast. Scientists estimate that only about 20,000-25,000 of the bears remain.

While these startling facts make our souls cry, there is some good news for the troubled bears. According to a Reuters story, the US Fish and Wildlife Service recently released a proposal to designate a 200,000 square mile-area as critical polar bear habitat under the Endangered Species Act. The area, which consists of shallow Arctic waters, barrier islands and coastal land on Alaska's North Slope, serves as a place where polar bears establish dens, give birth, nurse young and find food.

The proposal is subject to a 60-day public review period before it can be passed into law. And while we think the much-needed proposal comes not a moment too soon for the threatened bears, it seems other folks disagree. The North Slope area overlaps with existing oil fields, and companies hope to drill and explore more in the area. In order to make this regulation effective, oil companies would need to minimize activity that could adversely affect polar bears.

The threat to oil drilling prompted Alaskan officials to fight the proposal. The state sued to overturn the listing and sent a brief to Washington earlier this week asserting that polar bear populations are unhindered by sea ice changes. We think many, many scientists would disagree with that statement, but the oil craze seemingly clouds lawmakers' sense of logic and judgment.

To learn more about the polar bear habitat proposal and find out how you can lend your support, visit the US Fish and Wildlife Service Web page.

Photo courtesy of Ansgar Walk via Wikimedia Commons.