Polar Princess - Science Rant

TRAINING – SCIENCE RANT
13.2 miles of trail running in sub-10 minute miles. Sunny and hot (for me) – much solar radiation helping me work on my cancer-tan.

A few days ago, Jo emailed me a Sound Science Initiative Alert – which is something from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Frankly I didn’t know what to make of it – and spent some time reading about the issues. Basically it points to data that threatens the habitat and existence of Polar Bears.

Maybe its a bad thing for a species at the TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN to die off?

What kind of cascading effect will this have on our gorgeous planet and the oh so delicate balance of nature? What is this teaching us?

SOUND SCIENCE INITIATIVE ALERT
a project of UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
(http://www.ucsusa.org/)

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is currently seeking comment on a petition to list the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).”

1. It is my understanding that when the Union of Concerned Scientists are on an issue – it’s a big deal! It is a holy-crap-what’s-happening-to-the-world kind of big deal!
2. “Under the Endangered Species Act there are 2 categories, endangered and threatened. An endangered species is likely to go extinct within all or a significant portion of its range in the foreseeable future. The polar bear was petitioned to be listed as a threatened species, defined as a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.”
3. Threatened or endangered….mmmm…neither of these can be good.
Read about
a. Potential Effects of Contaminants and/or Climate Change on Polar Bear
b. Potential Over-harvest of Polar Bears
c. Human Development in Polar Bear Habitat
Go to http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/polarbear/issues.htm

Polar Princess Over and out.