(pic taken in Le Zoo)
The Bush administration listed the polar bear as a threatened species Wednesday, agreeing with conservationists that the bear’s Arctic habitat is melting due to global warming.
That is where the agreement with conservationists ends.“This listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting,” Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said while announcing the decision. The Endangered Species Act should not be “abused to make global warming policies,” he said.
(read more at http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2008-05-14-polar-bear-threatened-global-warming_N.htm?csp=34 and http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4859579)
As many of you probably know, I’m a polar bear lover. So when I read that the US government added polar bears to threatened list but still allowed arctic oil and gas production and exploration (over 1000 bears live there) last Wednesday, I didn’t know what to say. It’s like, “yes we admit that they’re endangered but we’ll continue doing things to kill them.” There’re about 25000 polar bears now, but the number will reduce by 1/3 in 2050. Some said “the polar bears don’t need any more new protections because they’re already the most protected animals in the world”; however, even if they are the most protected animals, it doesn’t mean they’re not being threatened and, if they think allowing arctic oil and gas production at places where they live is protecting them, they should be sent back to school to learn about logic, and how these activities worsen the condition.
I just feel like expressing what has been on my mind since Wednesday…
