Who would have thought ten years ago that the polar bear would become an endangered species?

Well, it didn’t happened yet, but it is a “threatened” species and probably not far from endangered considering the current world climate change.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne made the announcement on Wednesday. She said she decided to accept the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to add the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) on the list of the Endangered Species Act.

Scientists found strong evidence showing the ongoing loss of sea ice poses a big threat to the polar bears. The loss of sea ice means the loss of the animal’s habitat. Less sea ice means a much higher risk of seeing fewer polar bears if not their total extinction.

"I am also announcing that this listing decision will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact my decision will have, in order to protect the polar bear while limiting the unintended harm to the society and economy of the United States," Kempthorne said.

Kempthorne based his decision on three discoveries. First of all, as the its habitat, the sea ice is vital to the polar bear; the sea-ice has dramatically melted in recent decades and the scientific evidence shows that sea ice is likely to further recede in the future.

The melting of the sea ice habitat reduces the polar bear’s ability to find sufficient food

Currently, there are approximately 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the Arctic, but the U.S. Geological Survey’s estimations are somber. Nearly two thirds of the world's polar bears will disappear in the next 50 years due to the changes mentioned above by Kempthorne.

The listing of the polar bear, the world's largest predator found on land, as a threatened species sparked controversy. The main reason the polar bear has drawn so much attention is that it is the first species to reach that state due to the fact that its habitat is threatened by global warming.