From the Alaska Wilderness League (http://www.alaskawild.org):
It’s time to lift your voice for America’s polar bears! This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced its plan to begin a 5-year status review for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Polar bears were initially listed as threatened under the ESA in 2008, and several populations worldwide have declined since then.
A 60-day comment period has just begun, and you can help protect America’s remaining polar bears! Tell the USFWS not to let polar bears go extinct at https://secure.alaskawild.org/a/pbesa.
How the government classifies polar bears now will play an important role in how strongly polar bears are protected in the future as the climate crisis continues to erode their habitat.
U.S. polar bears, in particular the Southern Beaufort Sea population, are under incredible stress due to climate change impacts and the threat of increasing oil and gas development on Alaska’s North Slope. In fact, the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — currently open for oil development — is the most important onshore denning habitat for polar bears in the United States, and mother polar bears with cubs are increasingly denning in this area as Arctic sea ice continues to decline.
There’s still time to prevent the permanent loss of this keystone Arctic species. Because human-caused climate and environmental destruction is pushing polar bears to the brink, action is needed sooner rather than later to preserve these animals and their Arctic habitat.
Submit a public comment and urge the USFWS to ensure the survival of America’s polar bears!
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