Sonntag, 18. Mai 2008

Time is running away...

Is the polar bear an endangered species? After months, the U.S.A. government has decided to take the king of the arctic on the list for endangered, or in future possible endangered species. Destruction of habitat by exploration for ressources, climate change and shorter periods of icecover of the arctic sea have affected heavily the stimated population of 20.000 individuals worldwide, and after some experts the species in future possible face extinction.


Arne Naevra (Norway)
Polar meltdown

"I was relaxing after a long day filming just east of Barentsöya Island, in Svalbard. Our boat was far from the nearest pack-ice or land, but just before midnight, an iceberg came into view with a strange cargo: a young polar bear. It swam away from its thawing life-raft, but the picture shows clearly how climate change is affecting the Arctic.’ The polar bear is now officially endangered as the ice on which it hunts for food melts due to global warming. In 1996 the rate of loss was about 100 cubic kilometres per year. Ten years on, that loss has doubled. Pollution and the fact females only mate every two or three years add to the concerns."

Wildlife Photographer of 2007

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