The polar bear has been called the 'poster child' and 'a canary in a coal mine' for global warming. Unfortunately, there is more against them then that. Polar bears are rapidly losing their habitats due to rising temperatures, enviromental contaminants, development, and the unsustainable hunting that threatens many of their populations. They are the top predator in the arctic and although their populations are hard to estimate, it is known that they are dropping severely. The World Conservation Union's Polar Bear Specialist Group has estimated that the polar bear populations will have dropped by 30% in the next 35-50 years.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Plight of the Polar Bear
The polar bear has been called the 'poster child' and 'a canary in a coal mine' for global warming. Unfortunately, there is more against them then that. Polar bears are rapidly losing their habitats due to rising temperatures, enviromental contaminants, development, and the unsustainable hunting that threatens many of their populations. They are the top predator in the arctic and although their populations are hard to estimate, it is known that they are dropping severely. The World Conservation Union's Polar Bear Specialist Group has estimated that the polar bear populations will have dropped by 30% in the next 35-50 years.
