Hobbies And Interests
Polar Bear Facts
Polar bears inhabit regions of Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland and Norway. As the top predators in their marine ecosystem, their diet consists almost exclusively of seals, although they will also eat walrus, whales, birds and kelp. Excellent swimmers, they tend to stay near pack ice, where seals and other prey prove easiest to hunt. A full-grown male can weigh 1,500 pounds and stand nearly 10 feet tall.
Threats
Rising temperatures attributed to global warming are causing sea ice to melt -- in fact, a 2007 study by the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center suggested that the Arctic will be free of summer sea ice as early as 2050. Without their icy habitats, polar bears will have difficulty finding places to live and reproduce. As seals also live near ice, their population may drop and cause food scarcity for polar bears.
Global Fixes
The largest problem facing polar bears, according to the WWF, is habitat loss from global warming. While hunting is also a problem, regulations set in place in 1973 through the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and Their Habitat keep yearly hunting quotas to a minimal level. Individuals can pressure their elected representatives to continually reevaluate these quotas and maintain legislative efforts to reduce global warming, such as the U.S. Clean Air Act.
Individual Action
People also can help polar bears by donating to reputable wildlife conservation organizations. The World Wildlife Fund, supported by over 5 million members worldwide and 1.2 million in the U.S. alone, focuses on research to eliminate climate change and preserve Arctic habitats. Another group, Polar Bears International, offers creative ways to contribute -- such as an "Adopt a Polar Bear" program and an Internet gift shop that sells toys, clothes and even candy -- with the proceeds going toward similar research and conservation efforts.