Steven Amstrup, chief scientist at the conservation group Polar Bears International, said the apparent upward curve of the graph shared online reflects "improved knowledge" of the polar population, not an overall rise.

Polar bear numbers are derived from a combination of estimates for well-studied areas and "educated guesses" for less well-known areas. The latter is based in part on knowledge of sea ice and habitats, Amstrup said.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) says that the median age that polar bears survive in AZA-accredited zoos is 23.4 years. Due to environmental threats and disease polar bears live an average of 15-18 years in the wild, according to the zoo’s conservation partner Polar Bears International.

The Kansas City Zoo will make its annual contribution from the Zoo’s Conservation Fund to Polar Bears International in memory of Berlin.

“Bears are fascinating,” says B.J. Kirschhoffer, director of conservation technology at Polar Bears International. “For me, when standing on a prominent point overlooking sea ice, I want to know how any animal can make a living in that environment. I am curious about everything that makes them able to grow to be the biggest bear by living in one of the harshest places on this planet. There is still so much to learn about the species—how they use energy, how they navigate their world and how they are responding to a rapidly changing environment.”

The other option draws inspiration from the process hair stylists use to attach hair extensions to their human clients’ heads. This pentagonal design involves extending a loop of a fishing leader down through five metal ferrules, or tubes; lassoing some hair on a sedated polar bear; and pulling it back through. Scientists can then use pliers to squeeze and crimp the hair in place.

It probably helps that Pharrell frequently partakes in good deeds. Right before the end of last year, the artist’s label teamed up with MINI USA to release an exclusive merch collection featuring a variety of Icecream products. 100 percent of the proceeds went toward Polar Bears International, the non-profit polar bear conservation organization.

John Whiteman is chief research scientist at the nonprofit conservation group Polar Bears International. Speaking to Reuters news agency, he called the population drop "totally shocking." Whiteman said scientists fear that if continued sea ice loss cannot be stopped, it will one day lead to a total loss of the area’s polar bear population.

Nora and Amelia Gray contribute to research into polar bear diets and how they may be affected by climate change, conducted by the zoo in partnership with Polar Bears International, the US Geological Survey and others.

"In some ways, it's totally shocking," said John Whiteman, chief research scientist at conservation non-profit Polar Bears International. "What's really sobering is that these kinds of declines are the kind that unless sea ice loss is halted, are predicted to eventually cause ... extinction."

'It's really cool to see that he's already playing,' Amy Cutting, vice president for conservation at Polar Bears International, a nonprofit organization said to the Anchorage Daily News. 'That's sending a great signal that he's thriving.'

Although the first choice is for polar bears to stay wild, 'we believe that modern zoos do provide a high quality of life for bears,' Cutting explained.

This is the idea behind Polar Bears International’s ‘Detect and Protect’ research, which uses radar systems and artificial intelligence (AI) to help facilitate this.

Known as ‘bear-dar’, these systems are being tested and developed by director of field operations BJ Kirschoffer in Churchill, Canada - the polar bear capital of the world.

That is not surprising behavior for a polar bear on land, said Amy Cutting, vice president for conservation at Polar Bears International, a nonprofit organization.

“They’ll eat just about anything,” she said.

But it is far from ideal for the young bear. “That sort of behavior, we know, isn’t enough for polar bears to survive because they need that high-fat diet,” Cutting said.

However, ensuring the long-term viability of Churchill’s polar bear population remains a challenge, and Frontiers North has partnered with non-profit research, education and stewardship organisation Polar Bears International to help protect the bears and their habitat.

At the PBI education centre in Churchill, Joanna Sulich, a behavioural ecologist and consulting scientist, gives us a fascinating insight into polar bears and – more soberly – what the future might hold for them.

"The bears know the ice will be back soon - they're waiting," says Alysa McCall, from Polar Bears International (PBI).

Alysa and her team are in the Canadian Arctic just outside Churchill, Manitoba, in a tundra buggy - an observation lab on tracks, which allows them to watch bears in safety. "Looking over the last couple of decades, it forms later and later and it breaks up earlier and earlier in spring," Dr Flavio Lehner, of conservation charity PBI, says.

The Mini x Icecream ‘Save the Polar Bears Collection’ includes a tee, a hoodie, and a keychain, retailing for $150. Importantly, 100% of the capsule collection’s proceeds at checkout will be donated to Polar Bears International and its education and outreach efforts “dedicated to informing, inspiring, and providing a powerful platform for saving the polar bears and the arctic region”.

At the end of the Arctic circumnavigation, Hibbert plans to sell the boat and divide the money between two charities – Polar Bears International and Ocean Conservancy.

22. Polar Bears International (Score: 94.62) — The only conservation organization dedicated solely to wild polar bears, Polar Bears International envisions long-term survival of polar bears across the Arctic. https://polarbearsinternational.org/

At the heart of the partnership, one hundred percent of the proceeds at checkout will be donated to Polar Bears International and their education and outreach efforts dedicated to informing, inspiring, and providing a powerful platform for saving the polar bears and the arctic region. Through science, media and advocacy, Polar Bears International works to inspire people to care about the Arctic, the urgent threats to its future, and the connection between this remote region and our global climate.

But an existing technology modified to spot the white, fluffy bears may be able to help reduce that threat: portable radar units to warn communities that a bear is in the vicinity. Polar Bears International (PBI), an organization that supports research on and conservation of polar bears and sea ice, has been at the forefront of developing and testing such systems—nicknamed bear-dar—for the last several years, and envisages a number of scenarios in which they could be of use.

Mini USA is partnering with musician Pharrell Williams to help save polar bears.

The project includes exclusive merchandise for sale, with 100% of the proceeds donated to Polar Bears International, whose outreach efforts are dedicated to saving polar bears and the Arctic region.

MINI is collaborating with musician and fashion icon Pharrell Williams to support Polar Bears International. The collaboration is with Pharrell Williams brand ICECREAM, a global brand dedicated to giving back to the community and aligning to various causes.

Pharrell looks to save the polar bears with his latest collaboration, a partnership between MINI USA and Pharrell’s design label, Icecream. Dropping an exclusive merch collection on NTWRK featuring a variety of Icecream products emblazed with MINI’s new Mini Electric car, Pharrell and MINI are donating 100 percent of the proceeds to Polar Bears International, the non-profit polar bear conservation organization.