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Article: Americans propose listing polar bears as 'threatened'
- Article from:
- Winnipeg Free Press
- Article date:
- December 28, 2006
CopyrightCopyright F.P. Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership Dec 28, 2006. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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POLAR bears are in jeopardy and need stronger government protection because of melting Arctic sea ice related to global warming, the U.S. administration said Wednesday.
Pollution and overhunting also threaten their existence.
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Wednesday proposed listing polar bears as a "threatened" species on the government list of imperiled species. The "endangered" category is reserved for species more likely to become extinct.
"Polar bears are one of nature's ultimate survivors, able to live and thrive in one of the world's harshest environments," Kempthorne said. "But we are concerned the polar bear's habitat may literally be melting."
Between 3,000 and 5,000 polar ...