Polar Bears
The King of the Arctic
About the Polar Bear
Population: 20,000 - 25,000
Considered vulnerable
Scientific Name: Ursus maritimus
Habitat: Arctic sea ice
Over 50% of their time is spent hunting, but only 2% of that time is successful.
Threats
Climate Change
Many polar bears are losing their homes and hunting grounds due to climate change in the Arctic. The change in climate is melting the Arctic ice earlier than it was before. This means that the bears have to take longer journeys with fewer successes.
Human Conflict and Overhunting
From being pushed further into land there has been more contact between polar bears and people, sometimes ending badly for both parties. There has also been more illegal hunting of polar bears.
Industrial Impacts and Airborne Pollution
The retreating sea ice and growing industries are putting polar bears at risk of running into the many industries. Other things such as oil spills and noise can hurt and disrupt the polar bears’ lives. Airborne pollution can get into polar bears’ food infecting the food, and thus infecting the polar bears.
Organizations and Solutions
Organizations: WWF, Coca-Cola, Polar Bears International, Pennies for Polar Bears, and many more.
Solutions: Promote the shift away from fossil fuels such as oil and gas, protecting the denning and feeding areas, and making conservation concerns a high-priority.
What You Can Do
- Adopt a polar bear
- Donate money
- Buy specially marked cans and cases of Coca-Cola
- Learn how to reduce your carbon footprint
Email: membership@wwfus.org
Website: http://worldwildlife.org
Location: 1250 24th Street NW, Washington, DC
Phone: 1 - 800 - 960 - 0993
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldwildlifefund