Imagine Christmas without reindeer: We might someday have to do just that. But there’s good news on the extinction front as well: Polar bears were added to the threatened species list nearly three years ago as their icy habitat showed steady, precipitous decline because of a warming climate. But it appears the Arctic icons aren’t necessarily doomed after all. Conservation scientist Jeff Wells warns that caribou (that’s reindeer) thrive in cold climates. They are tough, adaptable creatures that can survive in winter by eating only lichens. But when the health of their habitats are threatened, so too is the health of the herd.
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