Palin compares global warming studies to 'snake oil science' - Page 3

prrriiide · #21 (**permalink**) 02-10-2010, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paco

Protections for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act could thwart those explorations,

Ya know, there's only one species higher on the food chain than polar bears. Just because we have enlarged frontal lobes in the brain and opposable thumbs doesn't mean that we aren't susceptible to the same environmental pressures (whatever the cause) that are leading to the decline of the polar bear. I'm just sayin'.

Do a little research into the effects of an ecosystem losing it's über-predator.

Quote:

polar bears do migrate. They're not dying off.

That all depends on where you are looking...some populations are declining, some are stable, and others are increasing. FWIW, it looks like the populations that have increased have done so because of sharply reduced hunting activity - not because the environment poses no challenges. However, there are more population centers in definite decline than there are in definite increase.

Pismo10 · #22 (**permalink**) 02-10-2010, 05:05 AM

This may be the only correct thing to come out of her mouth.

paco · #23 (**permalink**) 02-10-2010, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prrriiide

Ya know, there's only one species higher on the food chain than polar bears. Just because we have enlarged frontal lobes in the brain and opposable thumbs doesn't mean that we aren't susceptible to the same environmental pressures (whatever the cause) that are leading to the decline of the polar bear. I'm just sayin'.

Do a little research into the effects of an ecosystem losing it's über-predator.

That all depends on where you are looking...some populations are declining, some are stable, and others are increasing. FWIW, it looks like the populations that have increased have done so because of sharply reduced hunting activity - not because the environment poses no challenges. However, there are more population centers in definite decline than there are in definite increase.

And from that entire chart, we find nothing conclusive involving Alaskan polar bears, which is Palin's primary concern. There is a U.S. study courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, however, that further concludes an inconclusive result in regards to the study of oil and gas development and how it impacts polar bears.

Thus, Sarah Palin's proclamation that global warming studies are 'snake oil science.'

Polar Bear - Conservation Issues

Human Development in Polar Bear Habitat

Habitat used by polar bears for denning, feeding, and seasonal movements are important for the continued health of polar bear populations. Our knowledge of polar bear use of the near shore environment is limited. In the Beaufort Sea region, bear use of coastal areas appears to have increased over the last decade, thereby also increasing potential effects of human activities on polar bears, e.g. increased exposure to contaminants, hunting, or other bear-human interactions during which either bears or humans are potentially injured. Current efforts are underway to:

1) characterize distribution and abundance of polar bears along the Beaufort Sea coastline;

2) describe the number, age, sex, behavior and habitat use of polar bears concentrated around hunter-harvested bowhead whale carcasses; and

3) re-institute incidental take regulations designed to minimize impacts of oil and gas activities on polar bears and their habitat.

In the Bering/Chukchi seas, the majority of denning occurs on Wrangel and Herald islands and the Chukotka Peninsula (Russia). Wrangel Island Nature Reserve provides protection status for denning bears; monitoring denning in these areas may be used to monitor population status and trends. Increased harvest of polar bears in Chukotka is a concern.

Last updated: September 10, 2008

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