Every year, International Polar Bear Day is celebrated on February 27 to raise awareness and educate people about the impact of global warming and reduced sea ice on polar bear populations. Climate change which leads to sea ice loss is the biggest threat to the survival of the Polar Bear. International Polar Bear Day focuses on the need for the conservation status of the polar bear. Many zoos use the day to educate about polar bear conservation and to encourage visitation to polar bear exhibits. As International Polar Bear Day 2023 nears, here’s all you need to know about the history and significance of the day. According to records, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has termed the polar bear a vulnerable species. At present, there are just an estimated 26,000 polar bears in the world, living in 19 different populations across the Arctic. These Polar Bear Fun Facts Have Our Seal of Approval.

History of International Polar Bear Day

Climate change is a huge threat to polar bears and protecting these mammals is the need of the hour. According to historical records, countries including the US, Denmark, Norway, and the former USSR, now Russia, signed the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and their Habitat in 1973. The agreement regulated commercial hunting. Also, at that time, the US government had classified polar bears as endangered. Several years later in 1994, a non-profit organization named Polar Bears International (PBI) was formed with an aim to take collective efforts and action to protect the endangered polar bear.

Polar bears have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat to keep them insulated against the icy cold air. Their body structure is such that they can tolerate the chilly water they encounter on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean.

Significance of International Polar Bear Day

International Polar Bear Day is an important day as it raises awareness about the protection of mammals. Celebrated every year on February 27, International Polar Bear Day aims to find ways to reduce carbon footprint as a way to minimize the effects of global climate change. Moreover, the day has also been used to encourage the installation of energy-efficient insulation in houses. The main motto of the day is to keep polar bear moms and cubs safe while also addressing global warming issues at the same time. On this International Polar Bear Day 2023, let’s take collective efforts to reduce our carbon outputs because our support can make a real difference.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2023 08:08 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).