Polar bears need ice and snow, but as climate change takes a steady hold, their habitat is being rapidly lost. This year, for the first time, the polar bear has been classed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

WWF's projects in the Arctic are helping us to understand the impacts of climate change on polar bears and other Arctic species, and to safeguard their important breeding areas. We are also campaigning to reduce global carbon emissions to give these awesome predators a fighting chance of survival.


Funds generated from viewers votes will support research into the impacts of climate change on polar bears, habitat protection and the creation of sanctuaries, and community initiatives to reduce the negative impact of human and polar bear contact. The project will indirectly benefit some 10,000 polar bears.


Although an extremely harsh environment, the Arctic supports a variety of mammals, birds and plants. These include hares, voles, lemmings, ground squirrels, wolves, caribou and ermine – all of which will be affected by climate change and the reduction in snow cover. More than 90 species of rare vascular plants (those with a root system) are endemic or unique to the Arctic region. Fewer than 10 bird species live in the region all year round.

It's not just animals and birds that are threatened with habitat loss. Some four million people live in the Arctic, with the indigenous population ranging from 80% in Greenland to 3-4% in Arctic Russia.



There is only one real way to save polar bears from becoming extinct – and that is to save the Arctic from the ravages of climate change. While this requires a complete re-think of the world's transport, energy production and energy consumption, there are two immediate things to be done: first, we need fresh data about how polar bears live so that we can predict and deal with problems that may affect them; second, we must ensure that their key denning (nursery) areas are given the best protection possible so that the newborn cubs are given a fighting chance.