It's Official...Polar Bears are threatened in the US

[okapikpr]

5/14/2008~Secretary Kempthorne Announces Decision to Protect Polar Bears under Endangered Species Act

The Secretary of the Interior Dick Kempthorne was announced the listing and specifically mentioned:

"While the legal standards under the ESA compel me to list the polar bear as threatened, I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting. Any real solution requires action by all major economies for it to be effective. That is why I am taking administrative and regulatory action to make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies."

He is also making a new rule:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a 4(d) rule that states that if an activity is permissible under the stricter standards of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is also permissible under the ESA with respect to the polar bear. This rule, effective immediately, will ensure the protection of the bear while allowing us to continue to develop our natural resources in the arctic region in an environmentally sound way.

The Polar Bear was previously also under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It appears that the US government's arm has been twisted to make this listing under a compromise.

Here is the US Dept of the Interior site for polar bears:

U.S. Department of the Interior - Issues of Interest - Conservation and Management of the Polar Bear Population

 

[Monty]

There are species which need more help than the Polar bear.

Their numbers have gone from 4,000 to aver 25,000 in about 50 years. Most populations are still increasing, only a couple are falling.

There is the threat of further ice loss but there is not much we can do about that in the short term. In the past there have been warmer periods than now and they survived.

 

[okapikpr]

There are species which need more help than the Polar bear.

Which is why they are getting listed as threatened, not endangered. Polar Bears wont receive the same funding or protection as the black-footed ferret or california condor, but the listing will prevent actions that could further harm the US population of Polar Bears. Hopefully this will add more agruement to prevent drilling for oil/natural gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

 

[snowleopard]

This certainly explains the 10-15 polar bear exhibits in North American zoos that are either getting built or renovated. These massive carnivores are becoming the symbol of climate change, and are truly awe-inspiring when seen up close. I have a few photos of an enormous bear from the Oregon Zoo that had recently undergone an operation (in 2007), and its shaved belly was jet-black. Taking that photo around to kids in schools confuses them terribly, as their idea of an all-white animal is tossed out for good!