Local Polar Bears Working to Help Their Up-North Cousins
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Toledo, OH – Three polar bear cubs celebrated their first birthday today at Ohio's most famous zoo. The milestone is being used to remind people of the fragile ecosystem of their cousins up north. An event at the Toledo Zoo's polar bear exhibit draws attention to the threatened habitats of polar bears, as well as getting Congress involved in protecting them. Andrew Wetzler with the Natural Resources Defense Council in Ohio says global warming is the chief threat to the polar bears' natural home.
"Unfortunately, the Arctic sea ice is disappearing due to global warming. The polar bears' habitat is literally melting away and, as it does so, the earth's polar bear populations are slowly beginning to die out."
In addition to action against global warming, Wetzler believes Congress should list polar bears as an endangered species, to provide as much protection as possible for their shrinking habitat. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, up to two-thirds of the polar bear population could be wiped out due to thinning ice by 2050.
Wetzler explains the event at the zoo sends a message that Ohioans can make a difference in the survival of polar bears and other species threatened by global warming.
"We don't want zoos to be the last places where our children and grandchildren can see polar bears."
More information is available online at www.polarbearsos.org.
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