**POLAR BEAR HABITAT NEWS RELEASE**

Polar bears are in trouble.

 

For more than two decades, we have known that if the current rate of Arctic sea ice loss continues, the world will likely lose one-third of our polar bears in 30 years.

Despite this knowledge, the situation for polar bears, for the Arctic, and for the global climate in general, has not improved.

“The ecological consequences of climate change to the Arctic are already here and just keep accelerating,” says Michael Honeth, Executive Director at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat.

“This International Polar Bear Day, we are urging people to take notice, to make changes, and to encourage their friends, families, and communities to take action, too.”

International Polar Bear Day – a global event organized to draw attention to the challenges polar bears face in a warming Arctic – is held annually on February 27.

Polar bears are an iconic Canadian species, but they are also an indicator species for the Arctic ecosystem. That means that if polar bears decline in numbers or in health, it’s a sign that their environmental conditions are also declining, and that affects not just the bears, but all the animals, plants, and microorganisms in that environment.

The sea ice that is critical for polar bears to hunt their main source of food – seals – is rapidly disappearing. Compared to 50 years ago, many polar bears are now forced to spend an additional month on land every year, while they wait for the ice to form so they can feed.

“As a result, the body condition of many polar bears is deteriorating, and younger bears simply aren’t faring as well,” says Honeth.

The consequences of climate change are not limited to polar bears or to the Arctic, he adds.
Since last year’s International Polar Bear Day, there have been two clear messages from global organizations that climate change is not only real, it is here.

In 2018, the United Nations issued a Special Report on global warming, saying that we are already seeing devastating consequences from climate change, including more extreme weather events,
increasing sea levels, and the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice.

More recently, the World Health Organization listed climate change as one of the top threats to global health in 2019, adding that the phenomenon is expected to cause an additional 250,000 human deaths annually between 2030 and 2050.

“Without concrete action to combat climate change on a global level, we will lose all our sea ice, and as a result, all our remaining wild polar bears,” says Honeth.

“We all need to make some changes now to limit these impacts.”

Ultimately, polar bear conservation is human preservation. And the only thing that will save polar bears is reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Besides taking action to reduce your personal carbon footprint, you can contribute to polar bear conservation by voting for candidates who prioritize our planet’s health and long-term vitality, he says.

And of course, along with the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat, there are a number of organizations worldwide that contribute directly to research and conservation efforts to save polar bears. These groups will have more success with more support, be it through donations, volunteering, or campaigning.

Filed under: Local News