I’m sorry to share such a distressing picture today. But this sad event could have been avoided.

A German cruise line — Hapag-Lloyd Cruises — was responsible for killing this polar bear. How did this happen? The cruise line takes tourists to an island in Norway where there are so many bears that “Polar bear guards” are required by law to search the area before tourists come ashore. During one of these searches, this polar bear attacked a guard and was shot dead.

But the real question is — why take tourists to a place inhabited by dangerous wild animals at all? Doing this is putting people and animals at serious risk of death. If the cruise line stops bringing tourists here, no more polar bears will be killed in this way.

Will you join me in signing this Care2 petition urging the cruise line to stop putting their employees, tourists and bears at risk?

Thank you,

Beth G. The Care2 Petitions Team

P.S. There are only 25,000 polar bears remaining, and they face serious challenges to survival as a species. Sign the petition now to demand this cruise line stop adding to the plight of polar bears.