Most polar bears could be gone by 2050: report (Action link included)

[siri2k]

News Updates from Citizens for Legitimate Government
07 Sep 2007
http://www.legitgov.org/

Most polar bears could be gone by 2050: report 07 Sep 2007 Two-thirds of the world's polar bear population could be gone by mid-century if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Friday.

Bad news for polar bears 07 Sep 2007 Nine new studies released today from the U.S. Geological Survey predict serious declines in polar bear populations as summer sea ice continues to shrink. It's grim. From the Center for Biological Diversity: A new USGS study has concluded that two-thirds of the world's polar bears will disappear by the middle of this century. Polar bears will also disappear entirely from Alaska during this same time period. The study is based on "middle of the road" climate projections, which do not account for the more rapid rate of warming actually observed. As of September 4, 2007, sea ice extent had fallen to 4.75 million square miles -- fully 250,000 square miles below the previous record low of 5.05 million square miles in September, 2005, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Polar Bear SOS! Tell the Bush Administration to protect polar bears and their critical habitat. The Bush Administration's proposal to list the polar bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act is a crucial first step toward ensuring a future for these magnificent Arctic creatures. Yet the administration's proposal does not designate "critical habitat" for protection, even though melting habitat from global warming is the main threat to the polar bear's survival. (Please send your comment: http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/polarbearsos_0407.)