United States Set Aside A Habitat for Polar Bears in Alaska

Apparently a 187,000 square mile area in Alaska is to be protected by the United States government. This action adds even more restrictions to the future of offshore drilling for oil and gas in Alaska.

The Obama administration is setting aside this area as a critical habitat for polar bears. The total, which includes large areas of sea ice off the Alaskan coast, is a little less than in a preliminary plan that was released just last year.

The assistant secretary of fish, wildlife and parks at the Interior Department, Tom Stickland, said that the designation would help polar bears stave off extinction. It recognizes that the greatest threat to these animals is the melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change.

He went on to say that this critical habitat designation enables the government to work with other federal partners to ensure that no actions are performed within these boundaries. This will help keep polar bears safe. The government will continue to work toward comprehensive strategies for the long-term survival of this iconic species.

This habitat, however, does not block economic activity or other developments. However, anything that does take place on this land does require federal officials to consider it first. Before the government would consider anything being placed here they would consider if it would hurt the polar bears or not.

About 95 percent of this habitat is sea ice in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas off Alaska’s northern coast. Polar bears spend most of their lives on frozen oceans where they hunt seals, breed and travel. Thus, this is the perfect habitat for these polar bears.