Stand Up for Polar Bears Urge President Bush to protect polar bears under the Endangered Species Act and put an end to harmful drilling plans that threaten vital polar bear habitat. Polar bear mothers, disturbed by drilling activities, can abandon cubs to die.

Dear Wildlife Supporter,

What does George Bush have against polar bears?

The Bush/Cheney Administration’s own scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say that global warming and habitat loss could lead polar bears to extinction in the U.S. by 2050. Yet, the president said little in last night’s State of the Union about what -- if anything -- his administration would be doing to prevent their extinction.

Take action now. Urge George Bush to protect polar bears.

Year after year, President Bush has called for harmful drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most important onshore denning habitats for U.S. polar bears. Earlier this month, his Secretary of the Interior approved the sale of drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea, potentially threatening even more bears with pollution, spills and disruptive activities.

The Bush/Cheney Administration will come to an end next year, but we can’t allow their decisions and lack of action to spell extinction for U.S. polar bears.

Send your message now, and urge President Bush to…

• Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately list polar bears as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The decision on listing has already been delayed once. It’s time for President to act.
• Abandon plans to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and
• Protect polar bears by scrapping the planned February 6th sale of leasing rights to drill for oil and gas drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea.

Our polar bears are quickly running out of time. Urge George Bush to take action now.

For the polar bears,

Rodger Schlickeisen President Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. Federal officials could sell off the rights to drill in crucial polar bear habitat in the Chukchi Sea as soon as next Wednesday. Please take action today and help us send President Bush at least 40,000 messages by next Monday.