The ice break-up in the Arctic is taking place at a faster rate than scientists had predicted, threatening the polar bear's future. Given the urgency of taking action soon, Polar Bears International (PBI) has joined forces with the Zoological Society of San Diego to create a far-reaching conservation program called Arctic Ambassadors. Under the guidance of this program, zoos around the world will help educate and inspire millions of people by establishing Arctic Ambassador Centers at their facilities.

As part of the alliance, the Zoological Society of San Diego will manage the logistical operations of PBI's highly successful Adventure Learning Program. This program includes PBI's Leadership Camp in Churchill, Arctic distant learning initiatives, a world lecture series, interactive education programs, the annual Polar Bear Cam, and the launch of the Year of the Polar Bear.

The Society will also become an active participant in PBI's field research initiatives, which involve some of the world's leading polar bear scientists. These studies include population research projects that will help scientists pinpoint the geographic pockets where polar bears can survive until climate change can be reversed and the sea ice returns. In addition, we will work together on zoo-based studies that add to our understanding of the polar bear's reproduction, sensory ecology, and mother and cub relationships—all of which affect their long term-survival. Finally, the PBI and the San Diego Zoo will work as a team to provide worldwide leadership on polar bear husbandry issues.

The alliance comes at a critical juncture for the bears, at a time when we need to rally the public behind us to effect change. "Our goal is to inspire, inform, and empower people to change the plight of the polar bear," says PBI's President, Robert Buchanan. "By joining forces and combining resources, we can make a difference for polar bears and their rapidly melting habitat before it is too late."