Photo: Kt Miller / Polar Bears International

A polar bear sits on the shoreline waiting for the sea ice to return

Activity Three

Polar Bears in a Warming World

Overview

Bringing together the natural history of the polar bear with their habitat, the conservation strategy becomes clear when you understand we need a paradigm shift.  The traditional conservation model of buying land (or in this case, sea ice), fencing it, and placing guards at the gate simply won’t work. Instead, a new paradigm is required to save polar bears and other species affected by climate change. Helping people understand that polar bears require sea ice is a critical step in their pathway to taking action.


Objectives

  1. Understand what happens to a population in decline.

  2. Understand the conservation strategies needed for the conservation of polar bears and be able to explain the link of climate change to polar bears. 

  3. Understand how to make this a relevant topic for all – including those that don’t live with polar bears.

Close up of a polar bear's face

Photo: BJ Kirschhoffer / Polar Bears International

Ready?

Let's begin with Activity 3A – Focus.

Mother bear and her two cubs cuddled up to one another

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