Abundant polar bears named an endangered species

Now that the Arctic Ocean has warmed enough to reduce its summer ice, it seems wise that the United States yesterday named the polar bear an endangered species.

But what is odd is that the polar bear (ursus maritimus) probably is the first species put on the endangered list before there was any evidence its numbers were in decline.

In fact, the world had about 12,000 polar bears in 1960. Today, there are about 25,000.

Poster bear. With no facts to suggest the polar bears are dying off as a species, even Canada has not put them on its endangered list. Canada, which has most of the world’s polar bears, actually allows them hunted, despite a 22 percent drop in the bear population in the Hudson Bay over the last 20 years.

Canada has plans to place polar bears on a list “of special concern,” but does not consider them threatened with extinction.

The bears will be a symbol of interest over the next 20 years. If the globe becomes warmer, they’ll be the cuddly victim. If the world cools, they’ll stand for the problem that wasn’t.

Frank Warner

Update: "Never before has a thriving species been listed under the Endangered Species Act, nor should it." Hmm. I guess you could be thriving and endangered at the same time. Keep your eyes open.

Comments

[Christopher Taylor]

A huge meteor could land and kill off all the robins, so they should be considered threatened as well. It's technically possible, and some scientists say it could happen.

I especially liked his either ignorant or deliberately deceptive line about how this shouldn't affect other unrelated policy. Sure.

[Nicholas]

This is kind of like giving Arafat the Nobel Price for Peace. Both events include a total loss of credibility.

P.S. Since when are polar bears cuddly? If you tried to cuddle one it'd probably eat you.

[Kevin]

Let's think outside the box. Global warming is going to kill everyone, right? When that happens, what will become of the poor mosquito? They'll have nothing to suck blood from!

Let's get them on that list, ASAP. Poor mosquitoes.

[Christopher Taylor]

Incidentally the last winter replaced almost all of the ice that melted in the north.