The Main Issues
Facts:
·Polar bears are the first creature added to the endangered species list primarily because of global warming (National Geographic News).
·Over 700 polar bears are hunted annually (Stop Polar Bear Hunting Organization).
·Polar bears are experts at hunting seals and other prey from sea ice. But they are so unsuccessful on land that they spend their summers fasting, losing more than 2 pounds a day (Los Angeles Times).
Global warming is one of the main factors of the endangerment of polar bears. Due to our pollution, global warming has grown, resulting to shrinking polar bears’ habitat. More emissions mean more warming, more warming means less sea ice, less sea ice means less polar bears. According to a 2007 U.S. Geological Survey study, two-thirds of the world's current polar bear population will be diminished by year 2050 because of shrinking sea ice. Thus, regulation of greenhouse gases from power plants, cars, and other sources must be enforced. Another main factor to the decreasing population of polar bears is hunting. Illegal hunting, trophy hunting, and poaching have killed 700 to 900 polar bears a year. Hunters only have the incentive of killing polar bears just as a trophy to display and to gain money from trade. The selfish desires of hunters have put one of God’s creations in danger.
