When is International Polar Bear Day?

Monday February 27th

Every year on February 27th, International Polar Bear Day raises concerns about the challenges that polar bears face every year. It's also a day to find ways to minimize the effects of global climate change.

International Polar Bear Day - February 27

The polar bear has been designated as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The biggest threat to this species's survival is sea ice loss due to climate change. Currently, there are an estimated 26,000 polar bears in the world. They live in 19 different populations around the Arctic. About 60% of these populations are within or shared by Canada. Polar bears are also found in Alaska, Norway, Greenland, and Russia.

Polar bears are impossible to study due to their lives in such remote locations. It is known that the number of polar bears around the world is not decreasing. Polar bears are expected to become extinct between 2050 and 2100, according to some, if sea ice continues to disappear. Seals' disappearance could also have an effect on the polar bear population. This is due to the fact that seals, which also depend on the ice, are the primary food source for polar bears.