Alaska Suing to Bounce Bears Off Threatened List

The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the federal government's decision to place polar bears on the endangered species list, reports CBC News. The Department of the Interior  cited the bears' diminishing sea ice habitat as a reason for listing them as threatened, but Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin fears offshore shore oil and gas exploration will be inhibited by safeguards for the bears.

"The state maintains that there is insufficient evidence to support a listing of the polar bear as threatened for any reason," she said. "Polar bears are currently well-managed and have dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation measures enacted through international agreements." (More polar bear stories.)