FWS Reopens Comment Period for Polar Bears ESA Listing
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has published nine new research reports providing "current data and modeling reports relevant to the final determination of whether the polar bear...qualifies for listing under the endangered species act of 1973, as amended."

Comments on the new documents are due to FWS by October 5, 2007.

The nine reports were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey. They are:

(1) Polar Bear Population Status in the Northern Beaufort Sea by Stirling et al.

(2) Polar Bear Population Status in Southern Hudson Bay Canada by Obbard et al.

(3) Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea I: Survival and Breeding in Relation to Sea Ice Conditions, 2001-2006 by Regehr et al.

(4) Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea II: Demography and Population Growth in Relation to Sea Ice Conditions by Hunter et al.

(5) Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea III: Stature, Mass, and Cub Recruitment in Relationship to Time and Sea Ice Extent Between 1982 and 2006 by Rode et al.

(6) Uncertainty in Climate Model Predictions of Arctic Sea Ice Decline: An Evaluation Relevant to Polar Bears by DeWeaver.

(7) Predicting the Future Distribution of Polar Bear Habitat in the Polar Basin from Resource Selection Functions Applied to 21st Century General Circulation Model Projections of Sea Ice by Durner et al.

(8) Predicting Movements of Female Polar Bears between Summer Sea Ice Foraging Habitats and Terrestrial Denning Habitats of Alaska in the 21st Century: Proposed Methodology and Pilot Assessment by Bergen et al.

(9) Forecasting the Range-wide Status of Polar Bears at Selected Times in the 21st Century by Amstrup et al.