February 27 is International Polar Bear Day, an observance created to bring attention to the important role these alpha predators play in the Arctic ecosystem. Though polar bears aren"t endangered—their current conservation status is "vulnerable"—these magnificent beasts have become a sort of mascot for the race to slow the melting of Arctic sea ice. The Arctic ice is crucial to the bears" survival, as they hunt the ringed seals that bob up through holes in the ice. As Arctic ice decreases, the polar bears" hunting ground does too.
Three cheers for polar bears!
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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National Mushroom Month
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An island hopper s paradise
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Bridge over the River Tara
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Milky Way over Zabriskie Point, California
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An opulent backdrop for a historic event
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Buddha in the roots of a tree, Ayutthaya, Thailand
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Patriot Day
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San Francisco’s City Hall illuminated by the iconic colors of Pride
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It s time to fall back
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Ancient theater of Epidaurus, Greece
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Mountain goats at Glacier National Park in Montana
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Halfway Day
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Cape Town at dusk
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Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon
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Lighting it up for Vivid Sydney
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World Octopus Day
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Here’s why landmarks are going dark
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Here there be dragons
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Golden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
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A triumph of light
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Spring blooms in the Netherlands
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A light on National Hispanic Heritage Month
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D-Day remembered
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Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
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It s harvest time on World Food Day
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Happy 300th, NOLA!
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Juneteenth
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Dragon dance performed in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, China
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In the Himalayas for International Mountain Day