Dramatic polar bear population decline needs action: WWF

WWF

WWF is calling for urgent action on climate change and renewed commitment to polar bear research following the release of a new study, which found that the number of polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation declined by approximately 40 per cent between 2001 and 2010, from an estimated 1,500 to 900 bears.
 
The study, published online today in the journal Ecological Applications, analyzed data on polar bears in northern Alaska and Canada’s Northwest Territories.  It associates the population decline with an unprecedented loss of sea ice due to climate change, which reduces polar bear’s access to the seals that are their primary food.
 
The study’s findings highlight the need for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change. The report also shows the importance of continued investment in research–both scientific and local and traditional knowledge–to properly manage polar bear populations and make sound development decisions in the Arctic long-term.
 
Quotes
 “WWF’s Living Planet Report showed a 52 per cent decline in global wildlife populations in the last 40 years, so this news – from a region significantly affected by climate change – is not surprising.  But it is unwelcome, and a wake-up call on the need for urgent action to address the primary threat to this iconic Arctic species.”
– David Miller, President and CEO, WWF-Canada 

“This is a clear warning sign of the impact the warming Arctic has on ice-dependent species like the polar bear. Given that this subpopulation is at the edge of the range, these survey results do not come as a surprise.  These findings also highlight the importance of high-quality and current information.  Along with local and traditional knowledge, this information is essential to enable the co-management system to help meet the challenge of ensuring a long-term sustainable harvest of polar bears. We need to take action today on the main threat to polar bears: climate change.”
– Paul Crowley, Director, Arctic Program, WWF-Canada 

Facts

  • The southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation is jointly managed by Canada and the U.S.
  • Polar bears are listed as a species of special concern in Canada, under the national and Northwest Territories Species At Risk Acts
  • Polar bears are listed as threatened in the U.S., under the Endangered Species Act, and as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature 

Further Information

Images available at: https://photos.panda.org/gpn/external?albumId=4230
 
Contact
Riannon John
[email protected]
416-347-1894