Comment on Polar Bear Habitat Proposal
By: Jake | November 02, 2009 | Category: General
Have you ever seen the Planet Earth series? It was a recent BBC documentary that explored various ecosystems and animals around the world. One of the scenes that sticks out in my mind is one where a starving polar bear tries unsuccessfully to eat a walrus.
I'd been thinking about that scene last week when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced a proposal to designate a critical habitat for the polar bear. The total area proposed for designation would cover approximately 200,541 square miles entirely within the lands and waters of the United States.
This is the largest critical habitat area ever proposed by the FWS under the Endangered Species Act, though approximately 93 percent of the area is sea ice. It's mostly ice because the polar bear, which has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since May 2008, lives year-round on sea ice.
There is concern about the critical habitat's impact on oil and gas development. This is why the FWS has set up a 60-day public comment period to get feedback from the public. You can read all the legislation and comment on the proposal.
What do you think of the FWS's proposal for a polar bear critical habitat?
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