Just moments after making his debut into the world and taking his first little breaths, a newborn polar bear nestles up into his mamas’s embrace. Like all polar bear cubs, this adorable soft white ball of fur is born blind and toothless, weighing only about 1kg -- roughly the size of a block of butter! The tiny creature is completely helpless and will rely solely on his mother’s milk to survive the long winter months until he’s strong enough to make it on his own.
Despite warming TWICE as fast as the rest of the world, Arctic winters are undoubtedly harsh -- especially for vulnerable polar bears who are already grappling with the worst impacts of human-driven climate change, largely caused by the unethical practices of greedy Big Oil and fossil fuel corporations.
Meanwhile, the very same industry responsible for expediting the climate crisis continues to threaten the lives of innocent polar bear families. Rampant drilling and fracking are causing irreparable damage to the already-delicate Arctic region: bringing in noisy industrial-size equipment, dumping harmful waste into the sensitive waters, contaminating essential wildlife habitats, and releasing toxic pollutants into the water and atmosphere that can pose serious health concerns for residents in nearby coastal communities.
Big Oil’s massive takeover of the Arctic is threatening people and our Earth while pushing precious wildlife like polar bears and walruses to the BRINK OF EXTINCTION. How long will we let the fossil fuel industry’s insatiable drive for profit come at the cost of our planet and its living beings, Friend? TAKE ACTION NOW: Demand federal protections against Arctic drilling before this precious region is DESTROYED by Big Oil’s corporate greed! >>
Not unlike humans, this time of year is one where polar bears spend a lot of time with family! During summer and fall, these fascinating animals build maternity dens in preparation for the winter season when mama bears will give birth and nurse their newborn cubs. They start by digging small caves just large enough for mama to turn around, then they wait patiently for more snow to close the tunnel entrance and completely hide the den where the family spends most of their winter snuggled up together.
While burrowed deep in the den, the mother polar bear doesn’t eat or drink. She remains inside devoted to caring for her precious cubs during the first two months of their lives. But excessive activity and noise caused by drilling and fracking can cause the polar bears to stop feeding, interfere with their movements, or even frighten mothers enough to abandon their dens -- and their cubs!
And now, MAJOR FLAWS have been identified in the accuracy of the technology used to detect and avoid polar bear denning sites. The failure to properly detect denning sites puts nursing mama bears and their weak cubs at HIGH RISK of being RUN OVER and KILLED by the massive drilling machines; or even being BURIED ALIVE under mounds of snow, CRUSHING these helpless animals to death.
Denning season is already well underway, so this is URGENT, Friend. Soon, new mama bears will welcome their fuzzy bundles of joy into the world -- and we must do everything we can to protect these iconic animals from DYING at the hands of Big Oil. Polar bears are in serious danger of being WIPED OUT FOREVER, so they’re desperately counting on activists like YOU to be their voice this holiday season: Please, will you take just a moment to add your name before this petition closes at 11:59 pm tonight? Sign now to STOP reckless Arctic drilling that’s harming nursing mamas and their precious newborn cubs! >>
Friends of the Earth
