The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is a key organisation in lobbying for the rights of threatened and endangered animals, including the polar bear.

It is due to WWF’s efforts that habitats are protected, nature conservancies are created, and the increasing number of diminishing animal populations are given the necessary focus to prevent species from becoming extinct.

What Has Happened So Far

In 2008, the US Department of the Interior designated the polar bear as a threatened species. It may become necessary to change that designation to endangered if the threats to the animal’s environment continue unabated, or increase.

Thanks in part to the lobbying efforts of WWF, the Department of the Interior is now considering making the polar bear’s natural home in Alaska a “critical habitat”. This refers to protection of the environment where polar bears thrive and attempts to keep it from being further adversely affected by global warming and oil pipeline development.

The critical habitat designation is proposed for barrier island, sea ice, and terrestrial denning habitats of the polar bear, a total of over 200,500 square miles (approximately 520,000 kilometres).

The WWF itself is involved with communities in the Arctic and meets regularly with scientists and representatives of the government to enhance knowledge and understanding of the polar bear and the need for conservation efforts.

It is important that the needs of the local population are taken into account when devising a plan to protect the habitat of threatened animals. In this way everyone can work together for the good of the current polar bear population.

The Future of Polar Bear Populations

It is a fact that the amount of sea ice along the continental shelf in the Arctic is shrinking. This will result in a decline of the polar bear population of 30% over the next several decades, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Polar Specialist Group, which is part of the IUCN, reported earlier this year that eight groups of polar bears are losing a portion of their population, up from the five experiencing declines in 2005. Their recommendation is that the Red List classification of the polar bear be changed to “Vulnerable” from “Least Concern” due to the rapid loss of environment. These mammals cannot survive on land; they have evolved to live on ice and hunt the Arctic waters for their primary source of food, seals.

Unless changes occur to stop global warming, the polar bear will likely become an endangered species quite soon. Already cubs are exhibiting a low rate of survival and polar bears must search further to find food. With WWF on their side, hopefully these majestic creatures will live on for generations.

Read more about the impact that global warming is having on polar bears.