Canada is home to about 15,000 polar bears, about two-thirds of the world population, in 13 distinct areas. While the United States declared the bears an endangered species in May 2008, Gabriel Nirlungayuk, director of Wildlife for Nunavut Tunngavik said the bears are actually more prolific now. The current population is stable. It is not constructive to exaggerate that situation. Harry Flaherty, chair of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, agreed and said scientists were politicizing the bears’ status. They are using the polar bear as a tool, a tool to fight climate change, Flaherty said. They shouldn’t do that. The polar bear will survive. It has been surviving for thousands of years.