Reflective Journal 1

Polar bears are carnivores, feeding primarily on Arctic ringed seals. Their partially webbed paws allow them to swim, at a pace of six miles per hour, for up to 60 miles without rest. They live and hunt on frozen ice floes during winter months, and survive on berries and stored fats.
Growing threats faced by polar bears are:
•Climate change and sea ice reduction
•Environmental contaminants and chemical pollutants.
•Hunting and Capture for public display
The burning of fossil fuels, the release of sequestered hydrocarbons into the Earth’s atmosphere, and extensive agriculture and deforestation are causing climate change, which in turn is causing the biggest threat faced by polar bears: the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice. Forcing the bears to feed for a shorter time, and also decreasing their prey base.
Habitat loss due to global warming in the Arctic is by far the most important factor potentially affecting the future survival of polar bears.
Overhunting is an additional stress on some polar bear populations.Polar bears are hunted for their sport and fur , because of slow reproduction, polar bears rely on high adult survival rates to maintain their numbers.

Source:
http://www.hsus.org/marine_mammals/a_closer_look_at_marine_mammals/polar_bears/#Polar_bears http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/polarbear/threats.html