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