Nine polar bears spotted in ocean

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Permalink Reply by Zork on August 23, 2008 at 12:22am

We are truly saddened to see your animal friends in trouble due to the deeds of Didiot humans. Zorksters, you have the power to reverse this trend. Please live by the Zork Pledge. Please help us reach our goal of 1 million people doing the simple things to be green and help your beautiful planet Earth.

Here is the full story of the polar bears:

9 polar bears observed on risky open ocean swims
AP 9/22/2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska: Nine polar bears were observed in one day swimming in open ocean off Alaska's northwest coast, an increase from previous surveys that may indicate warming conditions are forcing bears to make riskier, long-distance swims to stable sea ice or land.

The bears were spotted in the Chukchi Sea on a flight by a federal marine contractor, Science Applications International Corp.

It was hired for the Minerals Management Service in advance of future offshore oil development. The MMS in February leased 2.76 million acres within an offshore area slightly smaller than Pennsylvania.

Observers Saturday were looking for whales but also recorded walrus and polar bears, said project director Janet Clark. Many were swimming north and ranged from 15 to 65 miles off shore, she said.

Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne in May declared polar bears a threatened species because of an alarming loss of summer sea ice and forecasts the trend will continue.

more at
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/22/america/Polar-Bears.php

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