But environmentalists conveniently ignore the facts about the bears’ growing populations in Alaska, Canada, Russia and other countries. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, between 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live around the world today, up significantly from the 8,000 to 10,000 in the 1960s. The alarmist views about global warming clearly don’t jive with the facts.

Our neighbors to the north in Canada also recognize the polar bear isn’t threatened or endangered. In fact, Canada’s Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife, an independent group of scientists, said last month the bears deserve merely “special concern” status, the weakest classification in Canada.

“Based on the best available information at hand, there was insufficient reason to think that the polar bear was at imminent risk of extinction,” wrote committee chairman Jeffrey Hutchings.

Some Canadians wouldn’t even go as far as the scientists. The Inuit Indians depend on the polar bear for their livelihood. An endangerment listing would be devastating for the tribe. “We don’t believe the scientists’ information any more. [Hunters] will ignore new quotas,” said Jayko Alooloo of the Hunters and Trappers Organization in Pond Inlet to The Canadian Press.

Rarely does the United States follow Canada’s lead, but this is certainly a case to do just that. As pressure mounts on Secretary Kempthorne to act, he needs to weigh the devastating consequences that listing the bear could have on the American people. The polar bear’s growing population, coupled with the likely litigation that would result from its listing, are sound reasons to leave it off the endangered species list.