Today is International Polar Bear Day, and once again the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) has published its annual report on the state of polar bears over the last twelve months. Instead of seeing their numbers decline, the bears have experienced the polar opposite. Zoologist Dr. Susan Crockford is the bearer of good news: 2023 was another fantastic year for our furry friends:

“2023 marked 50 years of international cooperation to protect polar bears across the Arctic. Those efforts should be hailed as a conservation success story: from late-1960s population estimate by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of about 12,000 individuals, numbers have almost tripled, to just over 32,000 in 2023.”

The paper also notes there were no reports from the Arctic in 2023 to indicate polar bears were being harmed due to lack of suitable habitat, partly because Arctic sea ice in summer has not declined since 2007. Now Ice-dependent polar bear numbers worldwide are above 32,000. This news pooh-poohs anyone doubting their continued good fortunes. Happy International Polar Bear Day!