Independent UK: The appalling fate of the polar bear, symbol of the Arctic

[marmar]

The appalling fate of the polar bear, symbol of the Arctic

It has been declared at risk by conservation groups. Yet rich Westerners are paying thousands of dollars for the privilege of shooting an animal whose very existence is already threatened by environmental disaster. Geoffrey Lean reports from Ilulissat, Greenland, on a fight for survival

Published: 09 September 2007


Polar bears – the very symbol of the Arctic's looming environmental disaster – are crashing towards extinction as a result of global warming, the US government has found. The admission, the result of a massive investigation by the Bush administration, could force the President finally to take action against climate change.

The development comes at the end of the most momentous week in the human history of the Arctic, which is warming faster than anywhere else in the world. Satellite observations have revealed that its ice has shrunk to much its lowest ever level, raising fears that it had reached a "tipping point" where it would melt irreversibly, disappearing altogether in summer in less than 25 years, with incalculable global consequences,

And a separate Independent on Sunday investigation has found that polar bears are being shot in alarming numbers by rich trophy hunters from the US, Europe and Japan, even as their increasingly fragile habitat melts beneath them. Campaigners know that climate change and pollution are the biggest threats to polar bear survival, but believe that stopping sports hunting is symbolically important. Former US presidential candidate Senator John Kerry is leading the fight.

"It's time to put the polar bear on the endangered species list, and give them a fighting chance at survival," he said. "Not only must these bears contend with their home melting away, but they are also being hunted in the limited habitat they have left. It's time to take responsibility for their survival."

And Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the IoS yesterday: "As a result of climate change we are already witnessing the destruction of polar bear habitats, and the idea that people would consider trophy hunting these great creatures is unacceptable."

American hunters exploit a loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act that allows them to get licences to import polar bear trophies from Canada. Some 953 have been granted or applied for since 1994. Senator Kerry is now co-sponsoring with Republican Senator Olympia Snowe a proposed Polar Bear Protection Act in the US Senate that would stop the skins being imported. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://environment.independent.co.uk/wildlife/article2944401.ece

[XemaSab]

1. I object to the term "rich Westerners."

The Africans shoot everything they see (including gorillas) for bushmeat. The Asians (particularly the Chinese) routinely net small birds to eat, the Arabs shoot everything they see (including cranes) and the Indians love to shoot them some tigers. The Indonesians and Central and South Americans are burning the rainforest down as fast as it grows.

We're all culpable here. White guilt doesn't help anything.