Later, a court ordered the department to reconsider its 2008 decision and to substantiate the elements to list the polar bear as
threatened, rather than as the more protective
endangered declaration - a decision that could affect whether or not the
Endangered Species Act can be used as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [3]. On Dec. 23, 2010, the department decided to uphold the status of "threatened."
Worldwide, the number of polar bears is estimated to be in the 20,000 to 25,000 range. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including
Nature Canada, the
World Wildlife Fund, and countless others tried, directly or indirectly, to have the bear's status bumped up to the "endangered" level. Some related litigation is still ongoing.
The image of cuddly polar bear cubs, trundling along behind their mother and similar photos have long been a mainstay of many NGOs in their crusade to persuade the world of the need to protect the species from "global warming" and the like. Frankly, these cubs look adorable, but what is never mentioned in the NGOs' pamphlets is the fact that polar bears are an important source of income for the Inuit people of the North. That income derives from hunters and wildlife watchers alike. Hundreds of bears are being shot every year at a cost of $25,000-plus per animal, most of that for lodging and guiding fees. Tourist outfitters in the town of Churchill, Manitoba, have been offering wildlife-watching tours for many years. Currently, a one week trip costs around $8,000.
Despite the cuddly cubs, the polar bear is a top predator not to be taken lightly. Camps of sightseers and researchers in the Canadian Arctic are commonly protected with electric fences and by armed guides. Some remote parks have sharp shooters stationed on nearby hills to prevent any bears from coming close. Even then, surprise encounters can occur with dire consequences.
There are conflicting statements about the sustainability of the annual government-controlled hunting quotas for polar polar bears. Many sources say the current quotas are not affecting the overall bear population.
In other words,
the polar bears are fine, but without the cuddly cub pictures many of the NGOs would be toast.
[1] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bears]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bears[/url]
[2] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Interior]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Interior[/url]
[3] [url=http://www.nrdc.org/media/2010/101124.asp]http://www.nrdc.org/media/2010/101124.asp[/url]
