Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 1

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1. Introduction

Canada has national and international responsibilities with respect to the study, management, and protection of polar bears. The international Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, signed by Canada, the United States, Norway, Denmark (on behalf of Greenland), and the U.S.S.R. (now Russia) on November 15, 1973, stipulates that management of polar bears shall be conducted “in accordance with sound conservation practices based on the best available scientific data.” This obligation is particularly important to Canada because we collectively manage 55–65% of the world’s polar bears. This document summarizes and updates our collective knowledge of the biology and status of the polar bear in Canada.