I hope that the Bonn Convention may lead to increased awareness that we must take care of polar bears..."Oslo (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - The Norwegian government plans to strengthen the conservation of polar bears by proposing to include them in the list of wild animals protected by the Bonn Convention, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported on Friday.
The proposal will be put forward at the international conference in Quito, capital of Ecuador, in this November, which will draw delegates from 120 parties to the Bonn Convention.
The Bonn Convention, also known as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, is an intergovernmental treaty aimed at conserving terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range.
"I hope that the Bonn Convention may lead to increased awareness that we must take care of polar bears in areas where human activity is increasing, partly as a result of ongoing climate change," said Norwegian Environment Minister Tine Sundtoft.
If the proposal is adopted, the parties to the convention, which have activities in the Arctic region, must observe the observation obligations set in the convention.
Sundtoft said mankind "must preserve biodiversity and prevent species extinction."
Polar bears are listed on the global Red List as vulnerable, primarily because of climate change and the rapid reduction in sea ice in the Arctic.
The Norwegian Polar Institute estimates that there are about 3,000 polar bears in the wild.
(U.C003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
