Undoing Bush-era policies is going to take some time, but this is one that needs to be addressed right away. Polar bears, walruses, seals, whales and ocean-going birds like eider ducks and loons call the Arctic Ocean home. Their survival in an environment seemingly so inhospitable is a wonder of nature. But as climate change continues unabated, these creatures -already facing a harsh environment- become some of the most vulnerable on earth.
Incredibly, their plight may get worse, as the Mineral Management Service [MMS] considers offering 73 million acres of Arctic waters to oil and gas leasing. That’s an area the size of Arizona.
It’s critically important that we all speak out in defense of these creatures.
The receding ice cap has made it harder for5 the animals , marine and land-based to get around and find food, including the polar bears that hunt and mate each year, and the Pacific Walruses that live here In fact, 90 percent of the entire Pacific walrus population can be found in these waters.
But not just wildlife is at stake. Wholesale leasing in this area would endanger the centuries-old way of life of Native communities, whose very culture centers on wildlife and ecosystem integrity.
Source: Democrats.com unity
