Re-Hug This Animal: Polar Bear
March 28, 2008 by Peggy
We originally hugged the polar bear in February, but it’s been a bit neglected. (Please check out that post if you missed it.)
The US Fish & Wildlife Service was supposed to make a decision on declaring the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, but they missed their deadline of January 9. Actually, they missed their deadline twice. The second deadline was February 8.
What’s going on? Some people think they delayed so that an oil and gas lease auction could be held in key polar bear habitat on Alaska’s Chukchi Sea on February 6. I hope that’s not the case. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is supposed to be one of the good guys.
Why is everyone following this decision so closely?
The polar bear will (most likely) be declared threatened because of the effects of global warming. There are (believe it or not) many people out there who don’t believe that global warming is real.
Read more about the polar bear decision delay. See “Delay in polar bear policy stirs probe” by SF Gate and “Second Deadline to Protect Polar Bears Missed” by Reuters. Also check out “Can’t Bear it any Longer: Senate Wants Answers” by CNN.
As you re-hug this animal, check out CNN’s “Polar bears on thin ice” for interesting polar bear facts and photos.