Thoughts on man and his universe
Let polar bears go extinct
I have nothing against polar bears, of course. But the polar bear is just a brown bear which has evolved to live in an arctic environment. If global warming does eliminate the polar bear’s habitat, it will be to make room for more brown bears. Is there a reason why we should prefer polar bears over brown bears? Perhaps its because polar bears are one of the few large animals which can survive in the arctic. But this only demonstrates that the arctic environment is relatively unfriendly towards life.
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#2 written by Rob 5 years ago
This isn’t even an issue. I am reciting from memory so I could be off on the specifics, but the general gist of this is that there are approximately 13 species of polar bears. The population of 1 (or 2) of those 13 have been declining in recent decades. The population of the other 11 or 12 species has in fact been increasing. What has happened is that the global warming evangelists (Al Gore, for example) has focused on ONLY the variant that has been declining, completely ignoring the others.
According to the National Center for Policy Analysis (ncpa.org), “Polar bear numbers increased dramatically from around 5,000 in 1950 to as many as 25,000 today, higher than any time in the 20th century.”
Additionally, polar bears, as a species, have survived through several extended periods, lasting many thousand years, when conditions were warmer than present, so there is no reason to believe that they will become extinct even IF global warming progresses as proponents claim (which, contrary to the hype, is most definitely NOT the scientific “consensus”). World Climate Report is a good source for supporting data: http://www.worldclimatereport.com
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#3 written by Ann 5 years ago
Rob: Read the extensive research at http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/special/polar_bears/
for some actual information, not speculation. The biggest reason the worldwide population of polar bears increased was because circumpolar countries (including the United States & Russia) took huge conservation measures, including forbidding sport hunting. Polar bear experts have said repeatedly that although polar bears have survived past warming phases, the current loss of arctic sea ice is so rapid and unprecedented that it’s highly unlikely polar bears can adapt quickly enough to current conditions to survive as a species. It’s basic physiology: they overheat very quickly on land, couldn’t possibly chase down enough meat to survive on, and depend on sea ice for mating, some denning, and fundamentally for eating huge amounts of fat from seals. (Under typical conditions they don’t even eat the meat.) Not only that, but brown/grizzly bears are more aggressive than polar bears and will be their main competitors on land. I’ve personally watched a much smaller brown bear chase several much bigger polar bears away from a whale carcass in Kaktovik. Guess what? It’s not just about polar bears. It’s about the entire arctic ecosystem, including people throughout the north. And none of this may not mattter to you, but it matters A LOT to northerners right now–none of whom think global warming is a hoax, a momentary blip, or a good thing. -
#4 written by parnell 5 years ago
I think all of the different species of life on this planet have value, and that in one way or another we all benefit from the greatest degree of bio-diversity possible. As for the fact that some of the polar bear sub-species have been growing in number, that is only because many are being forced to live in closer proximity to man, because their natural habitat is disappearing so fast, therefore they have greater access to our garbage dumps, a lot like how there are always a lot of rats around human settlements.
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That Rocks! That is really an incredibly good obvious observation