ALASKA'S NEWSPAPER

Help | Follow on Twitter | alaska.com

Cloudy 28°F

28° 31° | 26°

| Updated: 5:01 AM

Polar Bear News

Polar bears vs. oil exploration, with Alaska in the balance

USGS biologist Eric Regehr works with a polar bear and her cub shortly after the sow was darted for field immobilization work on the ice in Alaska.

Gov. Sean Parnell says he has the best interest of polar bears at heart, but he doesn't intend to let the federal government's expanded protection for them get in the way of the state's continued prosperity.

Alaska again seeks delisting of polar bears as threatened

Polar bear tourism is growing on Alaska's North Slope

We took a turn as the latest clients in Kaktovik's fledgling effort at locally led polar bear tourism. From the sound of it, business is picking up. Warbelow's Air Ventures has been flying tourists in, and other tour operators are starting to send clients as well.

Alaska again seeks delisting of polar bears as threatened

The state of Alaska is bolstering its efforts to overturn the listing of the polar bear as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Polar bears take center stage in climate-warming drama

Polar bears, ancient prey of northern indigenous peoples, seem destined to spend the coming decades as a target in 21st-century debates over what to do as the world warms.

Salazar won't change Bush polar bear rule

WASHINGTON -- Global warming will lead to declining polar bear populations, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar acknowledged Friday, but the Interior Department will let stand a Bush administration rule that proposes to manage the threatened animals without taking into account greenhouse gases.

'The Last Polar Bear...'

Any competent wildlife photographer knows all about waiting. Few have waited in bitter subzero cold for weeks on end, hoping for the wind and the sun and other conditions to be right for a glimpse at the planet's largest land predator.

Government reaches agreement on polar bear habitat

The federal government will designate "critical habitat" for polar bears in the ocean off Alaska's coast, a decision that could add restrictions to future offshore petroleum exploration or drilling.

Polar bear rule prompts suit

WASHINGTON -- Five industry groups have sued the Interior Department over a rule to protect the polar bear that they say unfairly singles out business operations in Alaska for their contribution to global warming.

Alaska sues over listing of polar bear as threatened

The State of Alaska sued Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Monday, seeking to reverse his decision to list polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

Saving polar bears' skins

Environmental and animal rights groups have lined up to oppose a lawsuit that seeks to let American sport hunters again import hides of polar bears shot legally in Canada.

Oil firms get OK to bother polar bears

Less than a month after declaring polar bears a threatened species because of global warming, the Bush administration is allowing oil companies to affect them in small ways while exploring for oil and natural gas in the Chukchi Sea over the next five years.

Conservation groups sue to protect Arctic marine mammals

Lawsuits for polar bears built on Endangered Species Act

Two conservation groups have given the federal government formal notice they intend to sue to protect polar bears from petroleum exploration and drilling off Alaska's coast.

E-mail reveals state dispute over polar bear listing

The state's marine mammal scientists agreed last year with federal researchers who concluded polar bears are threatened with extinction because of a shrinking ice cap.

Polar bears join 'threatened' list

Bear advocates fight to curb emissions

State will sue over polar bear listing, Palin says

Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of polar bears as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin said Wednesday.

Bear advocates fight to curb emissions

Polar bears join 'threatened' list

Bear advocates fight to curb emissions

Conservation groups announced Tuesday they are challenging Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's attempt to limit collateral economic damage from listing polar bears as a threatened species.

Polar bears join 'threatened' list

Groups sue over polar bear listing

Conservation groups that sued to list polar bears as threatened are back in court taking aim at what they say is the animals' top threat — greenhouse gas emissions that have led to rapid melting of polar bear habitat, sea ice.

Polar bears join 'threatened' list

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday that the agency will list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, a decision that could cast the bears as the enduring symbol of the effects of global warming.

Senators blast polar bear's 'threatened' status

WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday that the agency will list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, a decision that could cast the bears as the enduring symbol of the effects of global warming.

Listing disappoints state political, industry leaders

Deadline approaches for polar bear decision

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne hasn't added a U.S. creature to the endangered species list since he took office two years ago. The former Idaho governor has until Thursday to decide on one that could prove troublesome to promising petroleum drilling off Alaska's northern coast and force federal agencies in other states to react to new greenhouse gas emissions.

Legislature wants polar bear study

The state Legislature is looking to hire a few good polar bear scientists. The conclusions have already been agreed upon -- researchers just have to fill in the science part.

Polar bear ruling ordered

Polar bear ruling ordered

A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to decide within 16 days whether polar bears should be listed as a threatened species because of global warming.

PHOTO GALLERIES

Alaska Bears

Photo galleries chronicling the most famous residents in our vast state.

READER-SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Bear sightings

Grizzly, black, and even polar bear photos from our readers.

FORUM

It's a record...#13, 14 & 15

9/18 11:23 AM | Posted by: Hmmmm

Two black bears, possible siblings? grazing in the yard on the Sept. 13th, then one again on the 14th. That makes 15 black bears we've seen this summer. It's a record. Waahoo.

#12 Another Black Bear, same area

8/31 10:50 AM | Posted by: Hmmmm

This was the fattest black bear we've seen so far...it was in the same area as the one the week before, but definitely a different bear. Very, very well fed. 142nd & Goldenview

Back again...

8/26 9:04 AM | Posted by: Hmmmm

Just got a call from home....the bear is back again this morning. Looks like he is eating on something by the edge of the woods. 142N & Goldenview

INTERACTIVE MAP

Tracking Anchorage grizzly bears

Track the movements of 11 Brown Bears in and around Anchorage.

VIDEO

Anchorage's brown bears

Alaska state biologist Sean Farley talks about the recent bear/human conflicts in Anchorage.

VIDEO

Bear proof?

Zayk and Mavis, the Alaska Zoo's black bears, give up on a 96-gallon bear-resistant garbage container before successfully opening a standard can.

PHOTOS

Urban bears

The sun's out, the snow's gone, and the bears are showing up around town. Check out photos and post your sightings.

FORUM

Text-only sightings

Don't have a picture of your bear sighting? That doesn't make it less important; post the location and sighting to share the info.

SECTION

Timothy Treadwell

Coverage of the "Grizzly Man," Timothy Treadwell, who was killed by a bear in Katmai National Park and then made international headlines when a documentary was made about him.

Retiree welcomes neighborhood bears

Charlie Vandergaw tends to a grizzly bear at his homestead in the Yentna Valley. The retired Anchorage teacher has food-conditioned dozens of black and grizzly bears over the years, but he cautions that no one should do what he has done. State officials add that the feeding program Vandergaw has used to make the bears cooperative is also illegal.

Fifty miles northwest of Alaska's largest city, the roadless hills and boggy swamps of the Yentna River Valley have for years hidden the secret of bear man Charlie Vandergaw.

Pets

Find puppies, kittens, and all pet supplies and services here. More...

other transportation

Other Transportation

Find great deals on bicycles, snowmachines, ATV's, watrcraft and airplanes. More...

Merchandise, Miscellaneous

Antiques, apparel, even the kitchen sink. Find deals on general merchandise here. More...

More great deals »