Backyard Action Hero Toyota Backyard Action Hero Guidebook 2017 | Page 14

C onse r va ti on A K eeper ' s P erspec tive Polar bears are beautiful creatures who live in the icy climate of the Arctic. Sadly, they are listed as endangered, mostly as a result of climate change. Changing temperatures affect the polar bear's sea ice habitat and ability to hunt for their food (primarily seals). The result is drastic effects on polar bear survival and their ability to have cubs. Hunter Veeneman is a Glacier Run keeper at the Louisville Zoo who helps care for Qannik, our polar bear rescued in Alaska in 2011. Learn more about polar bears from him below! What is most rewarding about being a bear keeper? I think the coolest thing about being a bear keeper is visiting the Zoo in my regular clothes and seeing our bears recognize me in a crowd. Even bears that have moved to other zoos still recognize me when I go to visit them. It never ceases to amaze me that my job is to form a relationship with and help care for the world’s largest land-based carnivore. What's something people may not know about wild polar bears? Polar bears in the wild are under immense environmental stress. The Arctic ecosystem is changing at such a rate that even the human populations are struggling to keep up. Polar bear cubs are finding it more difficult to survive. Some are even starving. Cases of twins and triplets are decreasing and very large male bears are becoming rarer to find. These are not new trends. Scientists have been documenting this change for decades. What is the polar bear’s biggest threat for survival? What can kids do to help? Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide all play a role in the warming effects observed in the Arctic, including the faster melting and slower freezing of sea ice. We all have what is called a carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is made up of anything we do that requires the use of fossil fuels for energy. When fossil Did you know your Zoo was designated an Arctic Ambassador Center by Polar Bears International (PBI)? PBI is one of the Zoo’s wildlife partners, working to help polar bears in the Arctic. Next time you stop at the Zoo, be sure to stop and visit Qannik on exhibit periodically along with the other bears at Glacier Run. You can also learn more about polar bears and even hear a keeper talk! Learn more at LouisvilleZoo.org/Glacier-run.