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JUST IN TIME FOR
FATHER'S DAY . . .
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. . . a must-have new book by
one of our scientific advisors and favorite bloggers, Dr. Andrew Derocher--
on the subject of polar bears, of course!
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SCHOOL ADOPTIONS
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We ♥ all the classrooms and schools choosing to end the year with a symbolic polar bear adoption--
what a heartening vote of support for polar bear conservation!
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FEATURED SPONSOR
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
KATHY DONAHUE
Project Polar Bear Volunteer
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When it comes to our
Project Polar Bear Contest,
what would we do without Kathy?
An environmental educator, this devoted volunteer attends to countless details related to the contest, always with a cheerful spirit and upbeat attitude. You're amazing, Kathy, and we appreciate you!
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PIN IT!
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PBI has created several
photos boards on Pinterest . . .
and we'll continue to add more and share. Follow us for a visual feast
on polar bears and the Arctic.
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VIDEO OF THE MONTH
If you missed our Tundra Connections broadcast on polar bear mothers
and cubs, we've archived it here.
Find out why polar bear dens remind researchers of Uncle Milton's ant farm, what it's like to work in subzero weather, and all sorts of insightful facts.
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FLICKR PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
Spring has arrived in Denmark,
and little Siku is growing up!
Ulli J shared this photo of the spunky cub on our Flickr page. "It was
a cold and rainy day in Kolind,"
she said, "but watching the playful
Siku let us forget the rain."
You can watch Siku play every day
on our Siku Cam, a partnership
with explore.org and
Scandinavian Wildlife Park.
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An Extraordinary Journey
If you haven't already seen the spectacular new IMAX® film, To the Arctic, showing exclusively in select IMAX theaters, watch the trailer here to see why it's causing such a stir.
PBI partnered with MacGillivray Freeman Films to produce the To The Arctic Curriculum Guide that accompanies the film, with lesson plans on the Arctic, polar bears, a warming world, and how each of us can help. Our chief scientist, Dr. Steven C. Amstrup, served as a film advisor. |more
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Teens Make Every Day Polar Bear Day
 Project Polar Bear Contest teams wowed us yet again with their commitment to reducing CO2 in their communities. Together they achieved reductions of more than 31 million pounds, making it fun and trendy to go green.
This year's top honors go to the Conservation Crew from Portland, Oregon, with the Trash Can Patrol from Pennsylvania and Team Impact from Indiana tying for second place. Prepare for a rush of endorphins as you take a quick look at highlights of this year's accomplishments. |more
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Guest Post: Feasting Season
By Dr. Andrew Derocher
For polar bear mothers and cubs, den departure day in the High Arctic arrives in April or May--just in time for ringed seals to have their pups and the annual polar bear feast to begin. Ringed seals give birth to their pups in snow shelters above the sea ice but below a thick layer of snow. |more
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Arctic Species of the Month:
Brünnich's Guillemot
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One of the most plentiful arctic seabirds, guillemots stake out nesting sites on sheer cliffs in April or May--crowding into nurseries that can number into the hundreds of thousands.
Snow usually covers the narrow cliff ledges when they first arrive, delaying egg laying until late May or early June. Incredibly, just 21 days after the chicks hatch, and before they are fully fledged, they plummet down from their nest to the sea below.
Fun fact: The guillemot's call sounds like a deep ha, ha, ha or growling aaa-aahr. Multiply that by more than a hundred thousand birds and you'll have an idea of how raucous the rookeries are.
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That's the Spirit!
Innovative thinking and a can-do attitude power the teens in our Project Polar Bear Contest every year. But they aren't the only ones transforming the world. Increasingly, businesses and communities are embracing ingenuity and jump-starting change--actions that we honor with our
 Paw of Approval awards.
EnergyXchange of North Carolina is one such recipient. The nonprofit company channels methane gas from a closed landfill, using it to power an artist's colony and horticulture center. Not only does the project prevent greenhouses gases from entering the atmosphere, it's expected to rack up savings of more than $1 million in energy costs over the landfill's lifespan. No wonder it's become an international model!
Want to learn more? Here's a short video on the project.
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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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Brünnich's Guillemot, Daniel J. Cox NaturalExposures.com;
Dr. Andrew Derocher courtesy of Andrew Derocher;
Kathy Donahue courtesy of Kathy Donahue;
Flickr Photo of the Month, Ulli J
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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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