Today’s report on NPR talks about the possibility of displacing some polar bears out of their Arctic habitat in order to protect and ensure the species’ genetic diversity in the long term.
But what is the long-term future for the polar bear? Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin ponders,
Zoos have been very important in conserving imperiled species, such as the California condor, the Mexican wolf and even the American bison. But one of the really hard questions about polar bears is if we take them into captivity and through climate change the sea ice disappears, what are we saving them for if ultimately we destroy their habitat and they can’t return to the wild?
In the conservation world, the future is fraught with troubling uncertainty. For now, however, we can see the bears in their natural habitat. Dr. Jeffrey Bonner, CEO of the St. Louis Zoo, describes bears at Churchill in a “walking hibernation,” waiting for the ice to freeze for the winter. TravelWild Expeditions can take you to see these top predators in their natural habitat. Check out our polar bear tours to Churchill, Manitoba and call today to reserve your spot for departures this fall.