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As of Friday, President Obama’s 30 day hold on offshore drilling will expire and on July 1st, Shell Oil is planning on conducting exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea off of Alaska in the Arctic. These waters serve as home to the endangered polar bear, as well as many other species of wildlife. Says Defenders of Wildlife EVP Jamie Clark:
“For much of the year, the Chukchi Sea is a vast expanse of broken sea ice, sub-zero temperatures, extended storms and continuous darkness.No effective, proven technology exists to clean up oil spills in such conditions.
Coated in oil, a polar bear’s fur loses its ability to insulate, and these mighty Arctic hunters can actually freeze to death. Ingesting oil by trying to clean themselves can lead to kidney failure. And a significant oil spill in the Chukchi could decimate the ringed and bearded seals and other marine animals that polar bears survive on, causing bears to starve.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t take a catastrophe the size of the Gulf oil disaster to devastate our polar bears.
Drilling operations break up the sea ice that polar bears need to hunt for food. Without it, they can drown or starve to death. And the noise and disruption from the operations can cause polar bear mothers to abandon their cubs. Without a mother, cubs have little chance of survival.“
Seems strange that a new offshore drilling site is being considered as the Gulf Oil Spill continues to wear on and devastate many species of marine life and the environment.
Click here to read more about this issue and tell the President how you feel.
