Winnipeg zoo working to help protect polar bears from extinction
With only an estimated 26,000 polar bears still living in the wild, several zoos around the world – including the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg – are working together to find solutions to help protect the polar bear population in the wild.
The Polar Bear Research Council said Wednesday in a release that time is running out to save the species from extinction.
“Polar bears depend on sea ice to thrive and climate change is threatening this critical habitat,” the council said in a statement. “The window of opportunity to save the species from population declines and the threat of extinction is quickly shrinking. The need for collaborative, science-based research and conservation programs has never been greater.”
The Assiniboine Park Zoo, which contains a popular polar bear exhibit, is trying to help by conducting several different research projects that could help bears in the wild.
“Zoos that have polar bears have a really big role to play,” said Dr. Stephen Petersen, director of conservation and research with the zoo. “A lot of people think the bears are for the great weekend or day trip with the family, but behind the scenes, there are a lot of great care professionals taking care of the animals, we have veterinary teams, conservation scientists…that are looking at not only how do we provide the best care, but how do we work with bears in our care to help bears in the wild?"
Petersen said one project involves a hair growth study on some of the bears in captivity.
“Some of the bears have black dots of hair dye on them because we want to know, you know, how fast is that hair growing out,” he said. “And that tells researchers in the wild really important things.”
Petersen said researchers can then cut the hair and slice it into sections to see what it has been eating.
Petersen said the zoo is also working with Polar Bears International to develop a non-invasive tracking device.
The full master plan from Polar Bears International can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.