Polar Bear Conservation

The Zoo hopes that as you enjoy these delightful polar bear cubs in the Arctic Encounter®, you’ll remember that polar bears in the wild are facing some very serious threats.

Our polar bears have some the best animal care available anywhere, but in the wild the situation is a considerably bleaker. The ice in the Arctic is melting, making it difficult for bears to hunt. Polar bears are even drowning as they try to hunt on shelf ice that can no longer support their weight. This leaves their cubs left to fend for themselves, and most will not survive on their own. Scientists believe that polar bears could become the first mammal species to lose their entire habitat due to global warming.

The Toledo Zoo is proud to do its part to help preserve polar bears. We have been active in the polar bear Species Survival Plan (SSP) initiated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Through this cooperative breeding and conservation program, we are working to ensure a future for our bears’ wild counterparts.

We are also working with Polar Bears International, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving polar bears through research and education. They are doing some great work to help save these threatened creatures. Learn more about PBI and all the great work they’re doing.

But the birth of our three cubs represents the tip of the iceberg in terms of the Zoo’s preservation and conservation efforts. Learn more about all of the Zoo’s conservation efforts, including a complete list of SSPs we are currently taking part in.

Of course, there are also many ways that you can help polar bears and other endangered and threatened species. As we stated above, the main reason polar bear populations are declining in the Arctic is because the shelf ice on which they hunt is melting as the climate warms. There is good reason to believe that human consumption of fossil fuels is playing a significant role in the greenhouse gas buildup that is causing these climate changes.

The bottom line is that any steps we take to reduce our fossil fuel consumption will be helpful. We can all do something right now! By using less energy, purchasing products that are packaged responsibly, and recycling whenever possible, we can reduce our impact on the environment considerably. And the more people who take these steps, the greater the impact.