Endangered Polar Bears
The species is seriously threatened
Until recently, polar bears have been among nature's mightiest survivors. Rising temperatures, due to climate change, have melted the ice underneath the polar bears, drastically altering the animal's habitat and reducing food supply. The U.S. Geological Survey predicts two-thirds of Earth’s polar bears will disappear by 2050.
In May 2008, the Department of the Interior listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, citing the melting of Arctic sea ice as the primary threat. Though the listing was undercut by exceptions (e.g., it could not be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, and oil and gas exploration could proceed), the main new restriction is that trophies can no longer be imported from the hunting of polar bears in Canada.
