This day raises awareness on the issues facing polar bears and the way in which we can reduce our carbon footprint and stop melting their habitat. The burning of fossil fuels has meant the polar ice cap has melted, so in 1973 the USA< Denmark, Norway and the former USSR signed the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and their habitat. The agreement regulated commercial hunting and the U.S. government classified polar bears as endangered. The non-profit organisation Polar Bears International (PBI) was formed in 1994 and they made it their mission to establish action programs to protect the endangered polar bear. They introduced the first International Polar Bear Day in 2011 and it has been celebrated every year since.
This year the focus is on raising funds to help protect moms and cubs, giving them the best possible chance of survival. On average, only about half of all cubs reach adulthood, with even lower survival rates in the most vulnerable populations.
Holidays & Special Events 