U.S. Congress filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last week, to list the polar bear as "threatened." This is the first step towards an endangered status for the bears. A scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey presented research that in the next 50 years the polar bear population could decline by two thirds due to its melting habitat from global warming. Another critical issue facing the bears' habitat is that the United States Interior department is currently considering leasing 30 million acres in the Chuckchi Sea for oil and gas drilling. Drilling will not only devastate the bears' habitit, but may lead to large-scale oil spills. One way or another it seems humans are determined to mess things up for Alaska's animal residents.When asked for their reaction to Congress' recent petition, Alaska's seal population, which is the polar bears' main food source said, "Darn."
