Polar Bears on the Endangered Species List

Canada and Greenland agreed on a series of measures aimed at protecting shared populations of polar bears which roam between the Nunavut territory and the huge arctic island, officials said. Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice made the announcement during a conference call from Kangerluusuaq, Greenland, where he signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Friday with Greenland's Minister of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture, Ane Hansen and Prentice's Nunavut territory counterpart Daniel Shewchuk. The deal proposes the creation of a joint committee that would recommend a total allowable -- and sustainable -- annual polar bear harvest and a fair division of the harvest. Hunting polar bears ... Read Full Story

The Obama administration said Thursday it is designating more than 200,000 square miles in Alaska and off its coast as "critical habitat" for polar bears, an action that could add restrictions to future offshore drilling for oil and gas. Federal law prohibits agencies from taking actions that may adversely affect critical habitat and interfere with polar bear recovery. Assistant Interior Secretary Tom Strickland called the habitat designation a step in the right direction to help polar bears stave off extinction, while recognizing that the greatest threat to the bear is the melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change. "As we move forward ... Read Full Story

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A vast swath of icy sea, barrier islands and coastal land on Alaska's oil-rich North Slope will be granted special protection because of its importance to the threatened polar bear, under a proposal released Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency proposes that 200,000 square miles (518,000 sq km) of coastline and shallow Arctic Ocean waters be designated as critical habitat, a status of heightened protection afforded under the Endangered Species Act. The area, which would be the largest ever designated for an Endangered Species Act-listed population, overlaps the territory with the largest existing oil fields in ... Read Full Story

The United States on Thursday announced plans to designate more than 200,000 square miles in Alaska as critical habitat for polar bears, a key step towards increasing protection for the threatened species. "Proposing critical habitat for this iconic species is one step in the right direction to help this species stave off extinction, recognizing that the greatest threat to the polar bear is the melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change," Interior Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland said in a statement announcing the move. The habitat would cover 200,541 square miles (519,399 square kilometeters) and include barrier islands ... Read Full Story

Its about time the polar bears receive critical habitat A long-awaited announcement concerning polar bears was made last week. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service will propose designation of more than 200,000 square miles along the north coast of Alaska as polar bear critical habitat. It has until June 30, 2010 to finalize the critical habitat designation. The move is pursuant to a lawsuit settlement to address claims of the Center for Biological Diversity , the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace. Setting aside habitat for polar bears is required under the Endangered Species Act . Apparently, however, the right hand of the ... Read Full Story