Are polar bears a protected species?

Answer 1

yes

Answer:

Polar ears are classified under several levels of concern:

• In 2005, the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) classified polar bears as vulnerable on the IUCN World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Species noting that extinction could occur due to sea ice changes.
• In May 2008, U.S. Department of the Interior listed the polar bear as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act.
• Canada and Russia list the polar bear as a species of concern. In Canada *which has the largest population of polar bears), polar bears are protected through a collaborative approach that is shared with provinces, territories and regional wildlife management boards. This approach:
  • Provides scientific advice and Aboriginal traditional knowledge on harvest management consistent with the International Agreement on Conservation of Polar Bears and Their Habitat (1973) to ensure that quotas allow for sustainable polar bear populations.
  • Regulates the import and export of live polar bears and polar bear hides and trophies through the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act(WAPPRIITA).
  • Establishes protected areas for habitat important to polar bears through our national parks, national and marine wildlife areas, and provincial and territorial parks.