Polar bear listed as threatened in
Manitoba, Canada
Global warming and vanishing habitat are
putting extreme pressure on existing polar bear populations,
according to Canadian conservation experts. In February, the
Canadian home to polar bears—the province of Manitoba—recognized
polar bears as threatened under the Manitoba Endangered Species Act.
“We must continue to take action to
protect one of our province’s most unique species which is clearly
being affected by climate change,” said Conservation Minister Stan
Struthers in a press release.
According to Struthers, declaring polar
bears a threatened species will further ensure its protection and
provide Manitoba Conservation the ability to restrict development
near critical habitat along the Hudson Bay coastline in the
province.
“Declaring polar bears as a threatened
species is actually a good move for conservation,” Louisville Zoo
Director John Walczak said. “Since they’re recognized as a species
under duress, there are legal guidelines to protect them. Polar
bears illustrate the beauty of the Arctic, and we must do all we can
to save them.”
With the anticipated opening of the Zoo’s
upcoming Glacier Run project set to open in 2010, the Zoo is doing
all it can to educate the Commonwealth about polar bears and the
plight they face.
“Glacier Run will not only tell
the dramatic story of the polar bear, one of the most charismatic
species on our planet becoming more threatened every day, it will
also engage visitors of all ages and educate them about the most
pressing environmental challenges of our time. Glacier Run will
inspire us to take action in bettering the bond between people and
our planet,” Walczak said.
The Louisville Zoo encourages everyone to
learn more about the plight of polar bears. To do this, you can
visit the following:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is still
deciding whether polar bears should be listed as threatened under
the Endangered Species Act—America’s safety net for
plants and animals on the brink of extinction. If you chose,
you can write your Congressperson to ask that they support polar
bears being listed under the United States
Endangered Species Act.
“If polar bears are listed
under the Endangered Species Act, it would provide them broad
protection, including a requirement that United States federal
agencies ensure that any action carried out, authorized, or funded
by the United States government will not jeopardize the continued
existence of polar bears, or adversely modify their critical
habitat,” Walczak said.
For more information on the Zoo’s upcoming
Glacier Run exhibit, visit
http://www.louisvillezoo.org/glacierrun/.
To read the full Manitoba release, visit
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/in-the-news/manitoba/.
If you wish to take action and write your
Congressperson, find his/her address, at
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml.
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The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit
organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering
the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care
for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in
scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is
accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and by the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). For more information, visit
www.louisvillezoo.org.
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