From the Press Conference On Polar Bear Listing by U.S. Dept. of the Interior Secretary Kempthorne:
Today’s decision is based on three findings. First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear’s sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future.
Because polar bears are vulnerable to this loss of habitat, they are, in my judgment, likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future - in this case 45 years.
Three graphics tell the story. These graphics are based on actual satellite photos taken over the past three decades.
The first graphic shows the extent of arctic sea ice in September 1979, then 1989 and Sept. 2007.
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