Mystery Animal of the Day

Mama gnome is happy to present her favorite land animal,

the Mystery Animal of the Day.

Its scientific name is Ursus Maritimus.

It is native within the Arctic Circle, its surrounding waters and land masses.

Global warming is listed as the most significant threat to this animal.

If your guess is Polar Bear, Mama gnome wants to give you a giant bear hug and she chants her motto, "Save Energy! Save the Polar Bears!"


photo from Alan D. Wilson, naturepicsonline.com

Polar bears share the title of largest bear with the Kodiak bear.

They are excellent swimmers as you can see here:

video from: BBCWorldwide


Polar bears are well insulated by their thick fur, blubber and hide. They overheat if the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius.

According to the IUCN, "If climatic trends continue polar bears may become extirpated from most of their range within 100 years."

Polar bears are also threatened by:

"...toxic contaminants, shipping, recreational viewing, oil and gas exploration and development. In addition to this comes a potential risk of over-harvest due to increased quotas, excessive quotas or no quotas in Canada and Greenland and poaching in Russia."

Mama gnome imagines you protest and say,

Global warming? Toxic contaminant? Oil exploration? That's crazy? When did I ever explore for oil or use toxic contaminants or warm a globe?

Mama gnome answers,

Every day we make decisions or perform actions that contribute to or lessen global warming, contribute to or lessen toxic wastes, contribute to or lessen oil exploration and development.

In the near future, our actions and decisions will produce an effect, a global effect that will either "extirpate" the polar bears or support their existence.



video from: NationalWildlife


What can we do today to help save the Polar Bears? I thought you'd never ask.

• Chant daily mantra of "save energy, save polar bears" to guide you
  
• Save electricity (don't use the clothes dryer, use compact fluorescent light bulbs, use energy efficient appliances, turn off lights and appliances not being used, etc.)
• Drive less
  
• Eat less meat
• Use ecofriendly products to lessen toxic contaminants
• Use reusable bags
• Support plastic ban bags
• Visit World Wildlife Federation
• Participate in the annual Coastal Cleanup Day . The next one is on September 19, 2009
• Adopt a Polar Bear
• Give the gift of Trees. For each card you purchase and gift to someone, a tree will be planted in a national forest in their honor
  
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Educate your family, friends, neighbors, strangers about these issues

Mama gnome feels like daily consumption of peanut butter has provided her with enough blubber to survive in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. There she will help guard the polar bears from hunters and toxic pollution.

You need to thicken your hide and blubber by staying on land and fight off Global Warming.

Go green.

(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog