Spotted: Your response to a polar bear 'last ice' campaign

The retreat of sea ice in the Arctic is threatening the hunting grounds and habitat for polar bears. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Associated Press)

A CBC News article about the plight of the polar bear is provoking a strong reaction in animal-loving CBC audience members.
 
The story, which claimed that shrinking of sea ice crucial to the polar bear's habitat is endangering the bears, elicited several strong responses from concerned members of the CBC community.

• "The polar bear, beautiful, white as snow, powerful, and intelligent are going to vanish. Their habitat will soon be gone and unlivable for them, it makes me sad to think of this," wrote Facebook member Danny Hunt.
• "Please move them, save them. So majestic & such a sad reality," added Priscilla Bumpernickle.
• "Bears have been seen drowning in the sea because they can't make it to ice. Their numbers are steadily decreasing & they face extinction. But still people are denying it... human stupidity & callousness are heartbreaking," notes Sherry Johnson.

 
Commenters also had a lot to say about news that soft drink giant Coca-Cola is teaming up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to combat the problems, by donating funds to the WWF and changing its iconic red cans to white to raise awareness about the fate of the polar bear.
 

• "How sad that a Corporation such as Coke is more responsive to the plight of the polar bear than my own Government," mused Jack Sprat.
• "Coke's white cans better really help these poor creatures," said Facebook member James Ng.
• Fellow Facebook member Robyn Brooking added: "And just yesterday Coca Cola pledged millions to help with helping the polar bears...and the next day a press release, so thanks Coke!"
• "Isn't it the big industries like Coke that are putting huge amounts of emissions which is the underlining cause of the ice reduction?" wondered Nunavuteh.

However, the article's suggestion that some scientists are considering moving the bears to a "last ice area" in the high Arctic received a somewhat chillier response.

• "[T]his business of relocating animals is not going to work. I recall that this was tried at one time with relocating beaver to the Mackenzie Delta. They all ended up swimming back upstream.... Same thing will happen with bears," wrote yageeneda.
• "This is the most ridiculous idea ever. There is a reason that polar bears RARELY inhabit northern Ellesmere Island and Greenland, it is because it is not good habitat for ringed seals and therefore poor polar bear habitat," remarked Isutsipaaq.
• "It's one of the foremost mistakes that experts usually make. Thinking they can relocate any species for 'Their' benefit," concurred Aupaaq.
• "I will be following with interest to see how polar bears are herded there and enticed to remain in an area without natural food to support them. Perhaps not all things go better with coke?," joked Stumuffn.

 
Regardless of how they felt about a possible move for the polar bears, most commenters were in agreement about the dire state of the environment:

• "World scientists have been telling us for several years already that we are already beyond the point of no return. Many large scales disasters and major changes are what we can look forward to now. Greed and ignorance around the world is to blame. We have made our bed and now we must lie in it," observed Edm AB Guy.
• "[C]ub survival rates and adults' weights have been decreasing steadily for the last few years. Protection from hunting have helped the numbers somewhat, but they are in huge danger of becoming extinct. How long before we start to wake up?," asked Chris Laverty on Facebook.

As always, we thank you for your feedback on this story, and look forward to reading more of your comments in future.