The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dick Kempthorne announced the decision on December 27, 2006.

“Polar bears are one of nature's ultimate survivors, able to live and thrive in one of the world's harshest environments,” he said. “But we are concerned the polar bears' habitat may literally be melting.”

The proposal initiates a 12-month review period, during which time the agency will gather more information before making a final decision.

Polar bear scientist Scott Schliebe, who serves on PBI's Advisory Council, was the lead researcher for the listing. He noted that as the sea ice retreats, polar bears are finding it harder to reach seals, the mainstay of their diet.

"The Arctic is warming, and the trends are showing an acceleration in warming,” Schliebe said. “With that warming we're seeing movements of warmer fresh water into the Arctic and continued reduction in the amount of sea ice. That ultimately will have an effect on the ability of polar bears to reproduce and survive."

To learn more about the proposal, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/