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A Life Tied to Sea Ice
Have you been following the wild polar bears on our
Bear Tracker Map? The map pinpoints the movements of satellite-collared bears on Hudson Bay and the Beaufort Sea and helps scientists understand how the bears are responding to changing sea ice conditions.
Polar bear number X37027, for instance, is crisscrossing the sea ice of Hudson Bay with her cub. So far the pair has traveled over 700 miles since the mother was collared last September. Along with the other polar bears in this population, the family will continue to hunt seals and build up their fat reserves until the summer melt forces them ashore.
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Turn It Off on Earth Day!
Every year, hundreds of thousands of pounds of heat-trapping CO2 are released into the atmosphere by idling vehicles. You can do
your part to make no idling the norm by taking our No Idling Challenge on Earth Day, April 22. It's the third event in our Save Our Sea Ice (SOS!) campaign, a series of Earth Awareness Celebrations that focus on creating energy-saving habits--simple habits that can help polar bears.
Taking part is easy: Just turn off your vehicle's engine for waits longer than 10 seconds when dropping off or picking up passengers at an Earth Day event. And then make every day an Earth Day by making a conscious effort not to idle and motivating others to do the same. Ready to do more? Set up a No Idle Zone at your school or workplace, green your driving, and keep your vehicle well maintained.
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Guest Post: Den Sniffing Dogs
By BJ Kirschhoffer
Wes Larson and I just had the most exciting opportunity!
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is up in our neighborhood looking for polar bear dens with dogs. I've always said the North Slope needs a few therapy dogs roaming around the camps for people to pet. |more
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Arctic Species of the Month:
Killer Whales
As the winter ice returns, pods of orcas (Orcinus orca) head south. But marine biologists say a warming climate has caused more killer whales to move north in recent years--and some of them make errors in judgment and stay too long, confused by delayed freeze-ups in a warming Arctic.
Such was the case with a pod trapped in the Hudson Bay ice this January, confined to a small breathing area becoming smaller every day. The pod's plight brought calls for rescue attempts until shifting winds set them free.
Scientists say that the presence of killer whales in the Arctic in January is yet another indicator of a
troubled ecosystem. They are concerned that as the polar bear's sea ice platform melts away, killer whales could move in as the top predator, reshaping an Arctic that is also seeing the northward movement of harp and harbor seals.
of the trapped whales provides fascinating insights into their social behavior. Rather than one orca dominating the breathing hole, all whales in the pod took turns, a strategy designed to save them all.
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Just for Mom
Sweet times two--a perfect description of our special Mother's Day adoption!
Your symbolic adoption is a thoughtful gift that will help real polar bears in the wild.
Corner for ideas on how to spoil Mom on her special day.
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Featured Sponsor
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is proving time and time
again that they're one our biggest Champions!
For the third year, the watch company is donating a portion of their proceeds
to support polar bear conservation. Look out for the launch of their new campaign early this summer.
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Volunteer Spotlight
Biodiversity Institute & Department of
Zoology and Physiology,
University of Wyoming
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Video of the Month
Have you ever wondered
what it's like to study
polar bears out on the arctic sea ice, where temperatures can plunge to 50 below? Our Polar Bear Tracker Webcast gives you the chance to meet scientists and learn how satellite collars help them in their work.
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Teaching Tool
Wild polar bears. Satellite collars. Vast expanses of sea ice. The perfect complement to our Polar Bear Tracker Webcast, our Bear Tracker PowerPoint is designed for middle school students and up.
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Give as a GIFT or in HONOR or MEMORY of someone special. Or, add us to your monthly budget with an
and help us attain our goal of conserving polar bears.
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 action.
Photo Credits:
Lead Bear, Collared Mom with Cubs, BJ Kirschhoffer;
Korelian Bear Dog, Wesley Larson
© 2013 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 ma rks of
Polar Bears International.
 
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