Arctic Ambassador Center Network 20th Anniversary

Bozeman, Montana – June 24, 2024 – Polar Bears International, the only organization dedicated to wild polar bears and Arctic sea ice, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Arctic Ambassador Center Network. The coalition includes zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks that share the nonprofit’s commitment to polar bear conservation. Network members work collaboratively with Polar Bears International on research, education, and action programs that address the challenges polar bears face in a warming Arctic. 

Polar Bears International established the network to help amplify its conservation message and reach the millions of people who pass through zoo and aquarium turnstiles every year. It is the only collaboration of its kind to bring in-situ and ex-situ polar bear institutions together for research and conservation programs across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. 

“We’re proud of this incredible network and the impact we’ve made together,” said Krista Wright, executive director of Polar Bears International. “Studies show that zoos are trusted voices on conservation, viewed as reliable messengers across the political spectrum. They help us reach a broad cross-section of the public with our conservation message, including the urgent need to act on climate change.”

Arctic Ambassador Center members participate in Polar Bears International’s Climate Alliance Program. The Alliance brings together like-minded partners to help direct policy, build coalitions, and engage in public outreach to protect polar bears and advance climate solutions around the world. The program includes an expedition to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, for in-person training and an up-close look at polar bears in the wild and their threatened ecosystem.

Zoos, aquariums, and research institutions fill critical knowledge gaps and help develop new research methods and technologies before they are deployed in the field. For example, Polar Bears International recently tested a new polar bear tracking innovation, known as Burr on Fur tags, on polar bears in zoos. These new wildlife trackers attach to a polar bear’s fur, providing a minimally invasive way of tracking the bears. They are especially helpful for studying adult male polar bears and young bears, two groups that can’t wear traditional tracking collars.

“Studies show that zoos are trusted messengers on conservation,” says Marissa Krouse, director of conservation programs at Polar Bears International. “In addition, to be able to protect polar bears, we need to understand them. The research made possible by the Arctic Ambassador Center Network is critical to the conservation of polar bears, helping with advancements in polar bear energetics, genetics, reproduction, and tagging.” 

Polar Bears International’s Arctic Ambassador Centers participate in research programs that would be impossible to conduct with wild polar bears. Bears in managed care can be repeatedly observed and sampled over long periods—allowing sample size and replication not possible in the wild. Zoos and aquariums participate in research programs identified as a priority by the Polar Bear Research Council, an ad hoc group of polar bear researchers and subject matter experts that are building capacity for conservation-relevant research within zoos and aquariums.

This new video from Polar Bears International celebrates the Arctic Ambassador Center Network and highlights the role of zoos in conservation.

About Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International’s mission is to conserve polar bears and the sea ice they depend on. Through media, science, and advocacy, we work to inspire people to care about the Arctic, the threats to its future, and the connection between this remote region and our global climate. Polar Bears International is the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to wild polar bears and Arctic sea ice, and its staff includes scientists who study wild polar bears. The organization is a recognized leader in polar bear conservation. For more information, visit www.polarbearsinternational.org. 

Media Contacts

Annie Edwards, for Polar Bears International
annie@fabricmedia.net
T: +44 07307 139782

Melissa Hourigan, for Polar Bears International
melissa@fabricmedia.net
T: +1 720-608-1919