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ADOPT A POLAR BEAR
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Do you know someone with a birthday
 this month? Or celebrating a special occasion? A symbolic polar bear adoption is a fun and thoughtful way to commemorate the day.
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BACK TO SCHOOL . . .
WITH POLAR BEARS!
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We receive so many requests from students and teachers on how they can help polar bears that we've created a special page on our website with lesson plans and educational tools, along with a school kit to help organize
fundraising campaigns.
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SCIENTIST SPOTLIGHT
BRANDON LAFOREST
YORK UNIVERSITY
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You'll have the chance to meet
Brandon Laforest, a Ph.D. student
in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto,
when he joins us as a
Tundra Connections panelist this fall.
A student of Dr. Gregory Thiemann, Brandon's research focuses on the feeding ecology of polar bears in the Southern Hudson Bay population.
He also works with the Cree communities of the Quebec James Bay coast to foster a collaborative approach
to polar bear conservation.
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FEATURED SPONSOR
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Our heartfelt thanks to Calm Air for supporting our educational outreach in Churchill--including PBI Leadership Camp and PBI Tundra Connections broadcasts--by offering discounted flights to students, staff, volunteers,
scientists, and educators.
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VIDEO OF THE MONTH
On September 29th, our senior scientist, Dr. Steven C. Amstrup, will receive the 2012 Indianapolis Prize, the world's leading award for animal conservation. You can learn about Steve's dedication to saving polar bears in this moving video by IndianapolisPrize.org.
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CITIZEN OF THE
PLANET!
Don't forget to VOTE for candidates who support sustainable policies--and voice your opinion on the need to
take action on climate change.
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Who's Watching Whom?
Polar bear season will start soon in Churchill, Manitoba, with the great white bears gathering on the shores of Hudson Bay to wait for the sea ice to form. Back on the ice, they'll be able to hunt ringed seals again, the mainstay of their diet.
 | | Every year, curious polar bears pad over to Tundra Buggies® to check out the parka-clad humans. Many of PBI's outreach programs are centered in Churchill. |
This year's season will once again include educational programs like our Tundra Connections® and Leadership Camps, the Polar Bear Cam with partners Frontiers North and explore.org, and a new Citizen Science Project that will document the health and condition of the Western Hudson Bay bears.
We hope to see you there--virtually, or in person!
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Gearing up for Leadership Camp
Ready, set, go! They're packing boots and gloves. Reading up on polar bears and man-made climate change. And starting to sketch out the projects they'll launch when they get back home.
They're our 2012 Leadership Camp participants, a select group of community change agents who will join us in Churchill for the polar bear migration and return home with the knowledge and skills they'll need to inspire their communities to join them in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This year's schedule includes a Teen Leadership Camp September 30-October 6, followed by Communicator and Zookeeper Leadership Camps, October 7-12. Click the links to meet this year's campers and follow their blogs.
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Guest Post: Sea Ice Hits Record Low
By Dr. Cecilia Bitz
Most sea ice experts and enthusiasts check the Arctic sea ice cover daily at this time of year because late August or September is when records are set. The Arctic set a new record in late August for the lowest extent of sea ice ever. And as of the first week of September, it hadn't stopped yet.
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Arctic Species of the Month:
Humpback Whale
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This highly migratory whale plies all the world's oceans, filtering krill and small fish through its baleen plates. Those in the Northern Hemisphere head north in summer and south in winter. They are well-known for their long, highly complex songs, which change slowly over time, and their impressive breaches.
Once overhunted to the brink of extinction, the species made a comeback after whaling was banned, and now has an estimated population of at least 80,000 worldwide.
Fun fact: Scientists can identify individual humpbacks by the patterns on their tail flukes.
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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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Ice Break-Up, Polar Bear Close-Up, and Standing Bear
by Daniel J. Cox NaturalExposures.com;
Humpback Whale, Kt Miller;
Brandon Laforest, Nick Jeffery
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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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