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ADOPT A BEAR
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Just in time for International Polar Bear Day, our adoption kits have a brand-new look, with updated plush bears and bags. By adopting a bear, you help support our conservation efforts.
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FREE CALENDARS!
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Buy any book or the Norbert Rosing calendar from our gift shop
and receive a FREE Bela Baliko
polar bear calendar.
Need a refresher on all things polar bear? Take advantage of this calendar giveaway and pick up your signed copy of Ian Stirling's newest release,
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FEATURED SPONSOR
A time to care . . .
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This is the name of the campaign Bering launched last year to support polar bear conservation, and we couldn't agree more with the theme!
The European watch company offers
a sophisticated line of watches designed with polar bears in mind,
and the net proceeds from the sale
of each watch go to PBI and the protection of this iconic species.
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
CHRISTY MAZRIMAS-OTT
Brookfield Zoo Keeper
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Christy has grown Trees for You and Me from a small project for tree planting into a national fundraising initiative in partnership with AAZK, PBI, and Wisconsin DNR---all because she had an idea that she could make a difference!
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VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Brrrrrr!!!
In this short film, Dr. Glen Liston
of the snow den study team
explains the layers of snow that accumulate in a polar bear den
over the course of the season.
The team worked in subzero temperatures on Alaska's North Slope to learn more about the type of snow
preferred by denning bears.
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FLICKR PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
Photographer John Hallam posted this striking image in our Flickr group.
He captured the photo in Churchill, Manitoba, last fall as the polar bear shook off ice crystals. The late red sun behind created the effect of flames. John calls the image "Polar Bear in Flames" and sees it as a symbol of global warming.
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A Polar Bear-Sized Celebration
The big day is almost here . . . and we can't wait to have you join us in celebrating International Polar Bear Day on Monday, February 27th, by turning your thermostat down two degrees to lower carbon emissions and help save arctic sea ice. Show your support for action on climate change by bundling up in your favorite sweater or parka on that day--and, afterwards, sharing your Bundle Up photos on our Facebook page.
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Beginning on International Polar Bear Day, the live HD cam will stream footage of Siku, the little ambassador for his wild cousins, for a limited time each day at explore.org and polarbearcam.com. You can watch Siku's antics, follow him as he grows up, and learn about his wish to reduce your carbon footprint.
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And if you're looking for extra inspiration to make lifestyle changes with an impact, please join us in celebrating the launch of the Siku Cam in partnership with explore.org and the Scandinavian Wildlife Park in Denmark. |more
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Green Trees, Blue Ice
Members of the American Association of Zoo
 Keepers (AAZK) are in an all-out race to the finish line to see which chapter can raise the most money to plant trees in our Polar Bear Forest. March 1st is the deadline to make a donation to help your favorite AAZK chapter win! At this writing, the Brookfield chapter has edged into the lead, with Greater Cleveland and Battle Creek in HOT pursuit. The AAZK shows its commitment to saving polar bear habitat each year by holding a fundraiser to help plant trees in our Polar Bear Forest. Why trees? Because more trees = less C02 = more arctic sea ice. |
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Guest Post:
Onto the Frozen Sea
By April Cheuvront
We set out at sunrise, a mysterious pink hue streaming across the sky and lighting up the arctic landscape, ready to spend another day searching for polar bear dens using the FLIR camera system.
We drive a tracked vehicle, known as a Hagglunds, across the barren, ragged Beaufort Sea to Pingok Island. The frozen sea, with its jagged pieces of ice, appears to be the perfect environment for a roaming polar bear. |more
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Arctic Species of the Month:
Barren-Ground Caribou
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Native to western Greenland and the northern stretches of Canada, barren-ground caribou often make their seasonal migration to coastal regions in herds of thousands.
Both males and females wear majestic antlers, and the color of their fur ranges from dark brown during warm weather periods to a paler shade during winter. Each summer, they shed their old coats to show off their new ones, growing in white-tipped guard hairs along the way.
Like the fur of its cold-climate compatriate the polar bear, the caribou's guard hairs are hollow, which provide extra buoyancy for traversing bodies of water in the summer and help insulate in the winter.
The on-the-move quartet pictured above was photographed by Daniel J. Cox as part of the Arctic Documentary Project.
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Imagine a place where landfills are nearly empty. Heck, go
for broke--do away with landfills altogether!
This might seem like a lofty goal to many of us, but not for the citizens of San Francisco.
SF Environment has set a goal of producing Zero Waste by the year 2020 to achieve maximum resource efficiency and sustainable economic development. And believe it or not, the city has already achieved a phenomenal rate of 77% recovered materials.
Now which day is trash day again?
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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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April Cheuvront courtesy of April Cheuvront;
Barren Ground Caribou, Daniel J. Cox NaturalExposures.com;
Polar Bear in Flames, John Hallam;
Siku Photo, Søren Koch;
Christy Mazrimas-Ott courtesy of Christy Mazrimas-Ott
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© 2012 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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