Polar Bears Listed As Threatened Under U.S. Endangered Species Act; Loss Of Sea Ice To Blame

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2008) — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced May 14 that he is accepting the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing, the government says, is based on the best available science, which shows that loss of sea ice threatens and will likely continue to threaten polar bear habitat. This loss of habitat puts polar bears at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future, the standard established by the ESA for designating a threatened species.