Post on 10-Jun-2015
Polar BearsTheir Endangered Situation
English 10-1A Windstorm in the Forest AssignmentConnor HydeFebruary 21st, 2014
About Them
The thick, white coat,along with underfur and fat helps the polar bear to adapt to the freezing temperatures of the Arctic.
Their coat also provides a method a camoflauge, which is useful when the bears are hunting, or being hunted.
Polar bears can weigh anywhere from 780-1500 pounds, growing 6-10 feet
long.
Polar bears also have large padded feet, with small lumps and cavities used to
provide suction when walking across the ice. Their huge jaw and cheek teeth help to grind down the food habits of
this massive carnivore.
Polar bears, also known as Ursus Maritimus (Latin for sea bear), are
considered marine mammals because of the marine
environment it depends on for survival. Polar bears live in the Arctic regions of Canada, the USA, Russia, Denmark, and
Norway.
Their Situation
Currently there is an average of 20-25,000 polar bears worldwide, 60% of those live in Canada. Today polar bears are endangered and face
the powerful threat of extinction.Part of this problem is the rapid climate change taking place in the
Arctic. The polar bear's are losing thier habitat as it warms at a contast rate. The changes are happening too fast for the bears to adapt to, and the bears are being cut off from their food supplies. The bears are being forced to live on the land, where there are no
seals.Pollution is also a major part of this issue. Polar bears are often
exposed to oil spills, which destroy the insulation that their thick coats provide. This puts polar bears at an intense risk for
hypothermia. Various halocarbons are also very deadly for the polar bears. The chemicals are easily spread through the food chain, and high concentrations in the polar bears can cause birth defects and
immune system failure.
What Can Be Done
Across the world, people are taking stands against the desruction of our Arctic. The result of the drastic climate
change is affecting more than just the polar bears. Dozens of plant and animal species are endangered, and could eventually become extinct if something isn't done. Here a couple of things you can do to help the
cause:
National Sweater Day
National Sweater Day takes place each year on February 6.
Canadians are challenged on this day to lower their indoor
heating by two degrees Celsius. Insead of turning up the
thermostat, you are encouraged to wear a sweater or two. Not
only does this conserve energy, but it causes less greenhouse
gases to be released into the air. Greenhouse gases are what
cause the climate change that is effecting the habitat of the polar
bears.
Earth Hour
All across the globe, once year, people turn off their
lights for an hour. On March 29, people around the world will turn off their
light between 8:30 and 9:30 pm to raise
awareness about a variety of environment concerns. Earth Hour
promotes a reduction in energy use, which also helps reduce climate
change.
Their Future
The future of the polar bear's is looking grim. It is predicted that in 36 years, by 2050, two-thirds of the polar bear's population will have disappeared. By 2080, they will probably have disappeared from
Denmark and Canada completely.
If the climate continues to deteriorate at the rate it has been, then it is predicted that within 100 years, the polar bears will be extinct.
There is still hope though. With groups and scientists constantly working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change,
the effects could be reversed. Also, polar bears have adapted before, and it is possible that they will continue to do so.
For now, we must all do our part, lengthening the life of the polar bears as muc as possible. With a bot of time and a lot of work, the polar
bears, and the Arctic in general, can still be saved.
Bibliography
• Polar bear, www.wikipedia.org, February 21, 2014• About us, www.earthhour.org, February 21, 2014• National Sweater Day, www.sweaterday.com, February
21, 2014• Polar Bears, www.ifaw.com, February 21, 2014• Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus), www.wwf.ca, February 21,
2014• Polar bear Facts Sheet, www.canadiangeographic.ca,
February 21, 2014