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POLAR BEAR ADOPTION
Our symbolic adoptions provide
a fun and meaningful way to honor
someone you love. Each comes with a personalized certificate and photograph by Daniel J. Cox of Natural Exposures,
along with a reusable bag and plush
bear sized to fit your level of adoption.
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| THE POLAR BEAR GIFT SHOP |
Pull up your virtual sled and avoid the crowds: We've gathered a thoughtful selection of calendars, autographed books, and sustainable gifts in our online shop.
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FEATURED SPONSOR
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Our favorite poinsettia, hands down, is the elegant Polar Bear Poinsettia by Ecke Ranch. Best of all, each sale helps support our conservation efforts.
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| | | VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT |
Join us in a big round of applause
for Valerie Abbott and Andrew Fore, who generously volunteered their time
to help operate the Polar Bear Cam
in October and November.
Both donated hours and hours each week, enhanced by their love of the bears
and superb photography skills.
We're grateful to both of these
committed PBI members!
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THE RIPPLE EFFECT
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While individual actions to reduce
carbon output are important, educating
and asking others to join you are equally important steps in polar bear conservation.
In this issue, we're celebrating the climate change education programs offered by the zoo and aquarium partners in our Arctic Ambassador Center network.
Over the past year alone, these centers
have reached over a million people
with calls to action through hundreds of innovative educational techniques. And
that's just the tip of the iceberg
of what they're able to accomplish!
As the year draws to a close and you're gathering with family and friends,
why not make time to show your appreciation for one of PBI's best partners? You can find
the complete list on our website.
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Community leadership: Kansas City
Zoo's new polar bear exhibit was awarded
LEED Silver Certification for its green building practices. Its outreach includes a strong climate change message and call to action.
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VIDEO OF THE MONTH
The Western Hudson Bay polar bears live in what's known as a seasonal sea ice eco-region, one of four different sea ice areas in the Arctic. Learn all about these ecoregions--and what they mean to polar bears--in this video featuring Dr. Steven C. Amstrup.
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FLICKR PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
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Photographer Torsten Spiegelhalde
captured this lovely scene of three polar bears waiting for freeze-up near Churchill.
Although polar bears are often described as solitary, they're surprising social when they find themselves together, like during their annual fall gathering near the Hudson Bay.
Visit our Flickr page to view more polar bear photographs or post some of your own.
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A Difficult Ice Year
On again, off again. That's the situation Churchill's polar bears experienced this fall as they waited for Hudson Bay to freeze so they could return to hunting seals.
 Freeze-up began around November 20th, with solid bands of ice rimming the shore of Hudson Bay and extending out as far as the eye could see. The bears padded off to hunt--but strong winds broke up the ice a week later, sending most of the bears back to shore. The delayed freeze-up marks the third year in a row with an exceptionally late freeze-up for Churchill's bears. It underscores the vulnerability of polar bears in seasonal ice regions--the most threatened of the four sea ice eco-regions. More . . . |
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Cam Reaches Worldwide Audience
Talk about an impact: This year's relaunched Polar Bear Cam brought the polar bear migration to at least four million homes and offices worldwide, resonating with people on a deep level as they watched the bears
 | The cam was made possible by a grant from
Pearls of the Planet, a project of explore.org,
a direct charitable activity of the Annenberg Foundation, and a partnership with
Frontiers North Adventures. |
waiting for the ice to form. The live feeds helped them understand that climate change is real and it's happening now.
Charlie Annenberg Weingarten, vice president and a trustee of the Annenberg Foundation, says the cam is part of a decades-old dream to create what he calls Pearls of the Planet, with live streams helping people fall in love with the natural world.
"By watching these amazing polar bears, people made an emotional connection," he says. "I've always felt that when people fall in love with something, they want to save it."
The Polar Bear Cam will return next fall. Until then, you can visit the Pearls of the Planet Polar Bear Wall to see photos, videos, and cam highlights.
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Home for the Holidays
We've put up a wreath in Churchill--with a polar bear, of course--to mark the location of our new international headquarters in the polar bear capital of the world. The building renovation is scheduled for completion in about six months.
 "Churchill is known throughout the world as the best place to see polar bears, both close up and in large numbers," said Bob Williams, chairman of the board of PBI Canada. "Much of PBI's outreach takes place in Churchill, along with research efforts. Having our headquarters there makes sense on so many levels." Maintaining a facility in Churchill is yet another way to show our support for the town that has done so much for the bears. PBI's U.S. office and administrative functions will remain in Montana and our Canadian address will remain in Winnipeg. |
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Season of Hope
The Ice Girls. The Snowcones. The Arctic Warriors. Don't you love the names? Nearly 40 teams of eco-minded teens from across the U.S. and Canada have signed up for our Project Polar Bear contest and are now busy competing to see who can reduce the most CO2 in their communities. (Past contestants achieved reductions totaling more than 200 millions pounds!)
To catch the spirit, follow their team blogs as they visit schools, plant trees, and launch recycling programs--and if you like what they're doing, applaud their efforts and cheer them on by posting comments.
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Scientist Profile
 DR. IAN STIRLING
Research Scientist,
Canadian Wildlife Service
Adjunct Professor,
University of Alberta Where to begin with Dr. Ian Stirling? This world-renowned scientist began studying polar bears in the 1970s and was the first to connect the dots between a warming Arctic and a decline in polar bear populations. His work with the Western Hudson Bay polar bears spans four decades. Stirling is the author of more than 200 scientific papers and three books, including the recent, Polar Bears: The Natural History of a Threatened Species. He will appear at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto at 6:30 p.m. December 14th for a talk and book signing. |
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Arctic Species of the Month:
The Ringed Seal
The ringed seal is the polar bear's main prey. It's the smallest and most abundant seal in the Arctic.
Polar bears hunt seals at their breathing holes in the sea ice. The ringed seal's small size makes them the easiest seal for polar bears to catch, which is especially important for the survival of young bears and females.
 The ringed seal's name comes from the circular patterns found on their backs. They feed on fish and crustaceans, and give birth to their pups in snow lairs on top of the ice. Because ringed seals and polar bears are closely tied to the sea ice, both species are at great risk in a warming Arctic.
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Take Action! Reduce Consumption.
It's easy to get caught up in the frenzy of holiday shopping, but sometimes a step back is all you need to rethink your impact on the planet. This year, consider giving gifts of your time, re-gifting, or supporting conservation organizations by honoring a loved one with a donation or adoption. And for times when you just need a gift, support merchants who offer sustainable products.
What's the PBI staff's favorite gift? Plenty of snow to ski Bridger Bowl, right up the road from our Bozeman office!
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Help PBI open doors for polar bears
as the year draws to a close.
Your tax-deductible DONATION helps
us do our work. Give as a GIFT or in
HONOR or MEMORY of someone special. Or, add us to your monthly budget with an ENDURING PLEDGE.
You can also join us on your favorite
community sites and share PBI with
your friends and family.
   
We thank you for your continued support.
Conservation through research, education, and stewardship
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PHOTO CREDITS
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Valerie Abbott, courtesy of Valerie Abbott;
Polar Bear Footprints, Richard P. Beck;
Difficult Ice and Adoption Bear,
Daniel J. Cox NaturalExposures.com;
Andrew Fore, courtesy of Andrew Fore;
Ringed Seal, Dan Guravich
Flickr Photo of the Month, © Torsten Spiegelhalde
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© 2011 Polar Bears International. All Rights Reserved.
Marks and text appearing in this newsletter including, but not limited to,
Polar Bears International name, logo, and programs are trademarks,
registered trademarks, or service marks of Polar Bears International.
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