We’ve all seen the troubling images of polar bears stranded on a small chuck of ice, surrounded by water with no where else to go. Well, now the U.S. is doing something about it.
The Obama administration has sectioned off 187,000 square miles of sea ice in Alaska, reserving it as a “critical habitat” for polar bears. The designation could restrict future off-shore drilling in the area, but doesn’t necessarily prohibit it. Under the new status, any economic activity must be cleared by federal officials, who will weigh whether the activity would infringe on the bears’ territory.
Think of it as the VIP-section of a club, where polar bears get first access. (via the Associated Press)
