But for entirely different reasons. Ok, we all know about this, the polar bears drowing because of the lack of arctic ice, and it's the one thing that makes my throat close up and tears start and all that human-type emotion crap that I usually stay far far away from. But fuck, it's polar bears.
So, in what is being called an epic, watershed decision, the US has added the polar bears to the 'threatened' list of species. This is of interest, because :"Listing under the United States Endangered Species Act will provide broad protection to polar bears, including a requirement that United States federal agencies ensure that any action carried out, authorized, or funded by the United States government will not "jeopardize the continued existence" of polar bears, or adversely modify their critical habitat."
So it will be interesting to see what steps the US federal agencies take to ensure that we stop 'adversely modifying their critical habitat'- could the polar bears presage carbon taxes? Kyoto?
It's interesting as hell, but it is too late. It is too late for the polar bears. The penguins are headed out- rockhopper penguins (the kind in that Happy Feet movie) have declined 30% over the past 5 years. So that's the iconic animals of the arctic and of the antarctic headed out.
This is the kind of shit that makes me wish I believed in a heaven- can you imagine what a cool place where the baiji dolphin, the polar bear, the rockhopper penguins, and the tigers are going would be?
No comments:
Post a Comment