On Jan. 9, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Interior Department agency that evaluates endangered species, was due that day to deliver its ruling on the polar bear. Though FWS had already taken over a year to investigate the polar bear's plight — green groups sued the federal government two years ago to declare the animal as threatened under the Endangered Species Act — the day before the deadline, the agency announced that it would need another month to decide, due to the complexity of the bear's situation.

　　That situation is as follows: As temperatures warm, the Arctic sea ice that supports the polar bear shrinks, leaving the animals to drown as they are forced to swim long distances between the ice, or simply starve to death.

　　1月9日，评估濒危物种的内政部鱼类及野生动物署要提交针对北极熊所做出的裁决。虽然鱼类及野生动物署已经用了一年的时间来调查北极熊的状况，绿色组织在两年前就要求联邦政府根据《濒危物种法》宣布北极熊为“受到威胁的动物”。在最终期限到来前的一天，内政部宣布由于北极熊情况的复杂性还需要一个月的时间来做出决定。

　　情况是这样的：随着气候变暖，在北冰洋上，北极熊生活的冰面缩小了，导致北极熊因被迫在浮冰之间长距离游水而溺水身亡或者因饥饿而死亡。