There's a bit too much opinion in this for me and not a ton of fact. There needs to be an explanation of the U.S. Endangered Species Act. There needs to be more information on the ecology of the polar bear and why it needs so much ice. The comment on drilling rights is correct, but it appears to be a non sequitur, thrown in from somewhere. There needs to be context. I note that some of the reviewers have their own axes to grind, which doesn't make me happy. As probably the only person reviewing this who has touched--yes touched--a polar bear, and who is trained to understand the science, I can tell you that it is a very complex issue, and although some populations of polar bears are doing well, others are not. No matter how ... More »

Although this story is more opinion than research, two salient pieces of data clearly emerge: 1) whatever "facts-excuses" Bushies use to dismiss global warming, polar ice is melting at alarming rates--and polar bears live on polar ice; 2) if the polar bears' future depends on Bushies--kiss them good-bye.

The polar bear survived many much more severe warm periods than the present one. We may be responsible for its demise but it is not due to climate change.

The story is about the bush/cheney disdain for the rule of law as evidenced in their benign neglect of the Endangered Species Act while they grant oil leases in what would be violation of the act. The science of the bear population and the science of global climate change is only peripheral to the core story presented.

Are polar bears going to have a ice to live on?

Not a particularly good story. There's no explanation of what it might mean if the polar bear is ruled as an endangered species. What would change?

This article has little journalistic merit. The author did not do even minimal background reading or he would have known that polar bear populations are increasing rapidly (nearly tripled over the last 30 years) and that the arctic ice sheet grew substantially this winter, facts that have to be presented to understand the issue.