Polar Bear to US: SOS

In a decision that may have far-reaching consequences, the Bush administration has proposed listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In doing so, it has recognized warming Arctic temperatures as the prime suspect in the destruction of the bear's habitat. If the polar bear were to be named to the official "threatened" species list, the administration would be legally bound to ensure that its actions do not jeopardize the bear further, and federal agencies would have to prepare a full recovery plan, including steps to protect melting Arctic ice. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its proposal in December, in response to a petition and a lawsuit filed by NRDC, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Greenpeace. Recent studies predict the Arctic may be ice-free in the summer as early as 2040, significantly limiting the bears' ability to migrate and find food. NRDC has launched the Polar Bear SOS campaign, found on the Web at http://www.polarbearsos.org/.