How to save the polar bears is important, as these beautiful friends are very endangered (current estimates say they will be extinct in a few decades, if nothing more is done to help). They are mostly at risk due to their ice caps melting, yet many politicians have policies to ‘keep on drilling’ for oil, which creates more climate change. Polar bears spend nearly all their lives living on sea ice of the Arctic Sea, so if temperatures melt, they can’t catch seals, and therefore can’t eat or breed.
Polar bears actually have black skin, it’s just the reflection of light on their translucent fur that makes them appear white. They are carnivores and no doubt would kill you with a swift knock of the paw, to feed her cubs. Their big flat paws are ideal for swimming, but they need to stop frequently to rest on ice. Polar bears are absolutely giant: a typical bear weighs the same as 10 adult men. Polar bears are found in Canada, Greenland, Russia, Norway and Alaska. The cubs live under the snow for a few months, before mothers spend 2 years teaching cubs how to hunt.
How to Help Polar Bears
- Use your vote to elect people serious about global warming. If you don’t vote Green, then at least vote for MPs who don’t vote to stop progressive policies on climate change, logging, fracking etc.
- Reduce your personal carbon footprint to help stop climate change. This is the most helpful thing we can do to stop the ice melting.
- Switch to a green energy company (it only takes 10 minutes). There are quite a few green energy companies now in the UK, and they are as affordable as the big corporate companies.
- Polar bears should not be in zoos. They are miserable and often too hot. Boycott zoos and donate to a polar bear conservation charity instead. You can report concerns of any animals in zoos (or circuses) to Freedom for Animals & Born Free (also take pictures and tell the local police, tour operator & local animal welfare charity).
- Polar bears are still hunted for fur. The problem with ‘native hunting’ is that often some of it ends up for commercial use (DNA tests have found some ‘fake fur’ in coat trim and ornaments is real fur). So always look for shops that carry the Fur Free Retailer logo.