Saturday, January 17, 2009

Inuit experts say polar bear numbers stable

Inuit experts say polar bear numbers stable
By Dan Karpenchuk

Posted 4 hours 2 minutes ago

Some environmentalists have warned that vanishing sea ice and over-hunting could mean the end of polar bears within 50 years.

They are calling for bold action now to curb climate change and to protect the bears.

But some Inuit experts say the current bear population is stable and the alarmist rhetoric coming from activists is not helping.

One Inuit leader says his people share the north with the bears, they are important to the native diet and culture, and the Inuit want to continue preserving the species.

Canada's Environment Minister says when it comes to saving the bears, conservation should be the first priority, not climate change.

In the end there was no consensus, which is likely to mean yet another study.

Tags: environment, climate-change, endangered-and-protected-species, canada

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