EfluxMedia

Polar bears were announced to be added to the list of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act on Wednesday, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced. Still the measure might not be enough to save the fate of the big mammal. Because of the new status the polar bears have, hunters will not be allowed to import any trophies of the killed animals. However, scientific reports say that the main reason for the decreasing number of the artic predators is the reduction of the ice surface, which the bear uses in order to hunt its favorite pray, seals.

The fact that losing their habitat is the main reason for which the polar bears are in danger of going extinct means that the only way of really helping the species would be to designate a critical habitat for them. The critical habitat is defined as all the areas that are essential to a species’ conservation.

Hunting for bears has been restricted in the U.S. since the 1960s, as their number dropped significally to an all-times-low of 12,000. Since then, with great efforts, the number was doubled, raising some of the stress from the environmentalists.

Last year the U.S. Geological Survey released a report saying that the world’s population of polar bears risked severe decimation within the following decades due to global warming.

The study estimated that, by 2050, about 42 percent of “optimal polar bear habitat” could be lost in summertime. While the bears will not become extinct, they could disappear completely from Alaska, the study forecasted.

Meanwhile, the Governor of the State of Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, has issued a press statement saying that U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne called to inform her of the USFWS decision, and assured her that oil and gas developments are not to blame.

While the state is disappointed with this decision, Governor Palin said, the state stands ready to assist the USFWS to ensure that polar bear populations remain viable for decades to come. “We offer the substantial expertise of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to assist in the protection of polar bears, and in minimizing negative impacts on the people of Alaska and on important activities elsewhere in the country,” she said.

“Alaskans take our public trust responsibilities for our resources very seriously, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the federal agencies to address the conservation needs of these magnificent animals,” Governor Palin said. "We will continue to take the steps necessary to ensure that polar bears continue to thrive for generations to come.”