On May 15, the Bush Administration announced that polar bears may now be listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, Congress is insisting that the new laws aren't abused to affect other related issues such as, oh, protecting WHERE POLAR BEARS LIVE.
While it may seem like a no-brainer (and don't worry, it still will after I explain), this new protection from the ESA is controversial because this is the first time an animal has needed protection from extinction because of global warming. It's totally different than normal extinction, you guys.
As we mentioned earlier this year, the Bush Administration pushed back a January 9 deadline regarding the polar bears' protection, conveniently moving up an approval for oil drilling in their habitat worth almost $3 billion. "Essentially, the administration is giving a gift to Big Oil, and short shrift to the polar bear," said Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts.
Polar bears use ice caps to catch and eat seals that, scientist Steve Amstrup explains, "are kind of like giant 'fat pills' that have allowed polar bears to become the largest of the bears and to expand across the range of the sea ice."
The good news is that without these "fat pills", polar bears will be leaner and therefore able to swim farther and tolerate warmer climates. Because that's what they're going to have to do. Because THEIR HOME IS MELTING.
And hey, since no one is protecting the polar ice caps, maybe we can focus on body-image counseling for those poor seals and some sensitivity training for Steve. How would you like being called a "fat pill?" Words hurt, Steve.