Fewer polar bear cubs survive in Alaska

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061116/ap_on_sc/beaufort_polar_bears_2



ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Far fewer polar bears cubs are surviving off Alaska's northern coast, a federal government report released Wednesday has concluded.


The study of polar bears in the south Beaufort Sea, which spans the northern coasts of Alaska and western Canada, also found that adult males weigh less and have smaller skulls than those captured and measured two decades ago.

The study does not directly blame the changes on a decline in sea ice. However, fewer cubs and smaller males are consistent with other observations that suggest changes in sea ice may be adversely affecting polar bears, the study said.

The study warns that the decline in cub survival and the smaller adult males are the same conditions that preceded a decline in the polar bears of western Hudson Bay, Canada, where the population dropped 22 percent in 17 years.

<snip>

"The Grim Reaper of global warming is now clearly killing polar bear cubs," said Deborah Williams, president of Alaska Conservation Solutions, an Anchorage-based group aimed at halting climate change. "This study should be interpreted as a cry from the North to reduce greenhouse gases."


Center for Biological Diversity:

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/polarbear/index.html

[rodeodance]

1. "The Grim Reaper of global warming is now clearly killing polar bear cubs,"

[Little Wing]

2. They have to swim farther between ice packs

and drown

[Virginia Dare]

3. Polar bears will be extinct in most of our lifetimes...n/t

[The Stranger]

4. This is the end -- beautiful friend, the end.

[smoogatz]

5. They're toast. What a tragedy.

I hate to think about the kind of world my son is likely to inherit. It really bums me out.

[leftchick]

6. after I read this

and the US refusal today to reduce CO2 emmissions at the UN Climate conference, I cried for a while thinking about my two boys awful future because of GREED! :cry:

[krispos42]

7. Colbert will be relieved! :-) n/t

[EnviroBat]

8. This is making me sick...

Really fucking sick...

[leftchick]

10. me too

beyond belief. :cry:

[EnviroBat]

11. I've been siting here in my corporate cubicle.

really contemplating what to do with my life, cause this ain't it. I think I'm going to do some research in to working for the World Wildlife Fund. I want to give this career up, before it consumes me totally. When I see the picture of those baby's, I break out in tears. I've decide I can't live like this anymore, when the planet, and the beautiful creatures here are being killed out from under us. I think I'd like to volunteer for a research expedition, or anything to get involved hands-on. I'll let you know how it turns out...

[Barrett808]

12. You and me, baby

Generally, the various environmental groups will welcome any amount of volunteer work you want to donate. Right now, I'm cultivating relationships with The Nature Conservancy and People for Puget Sound, so I'll see where these go.

If you're truly hardcore and want to make the biggest difference possible, you can ship out with Sea Shepherd:

http://www.seashepherd.org/crew-main.html

My wife crewed a few years ago -- it was an very difficult but extremely rewarding experience. She personally documented illegal shark-finning operations at the Cocos Island World Heritage site, and the crew intervened in several pirate fishing operations.

In just a few weeks, Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are both heading to Antarctica to intervene in the illegal Japanese whaling operation. This year promises to be an amazing direct action -- I expect it to be one of the most effective and exciting ever.

[roguevalley]

9. when the big fauna dies, there is death all the way down the food

chain. this kills me.