Development

As a result of the melting sea ice, tourism and mineral and energy development have crept further into the Arctic. The polar bears are constantly harassed by photographers and tourists, who increase the noise pollution that interupt the polar bears natural activity. Tourists will pay good money to view the bears, but when the bears are attracted to human camps by smell of food, they are immediately percieved as threats and killed.

Companies are eager to exploit the mineral reserves in the arctic. Shell Oil created a major controversy as they tried to drill off the coast of Alaska.The oil and gas exploration has become a major threat to the bears with the enviromental contaminats.