For 300 years , millions of bears were killed worldwide

For 300 years , millions of bears were killed worldwide . Whalers killed polar bears in the 19th century , both for their flesh or skin , or for entertaining. The polar bear population dropped dangerously . Fortunately, since 1976 , the polar bear is protected by a convention of international animal protection . Inuit have the right to hunt but according to the rules and strict quotas. Unfortunately, for 10 years , global warming endangers people . The ice forms late. Bears should shorten the hunting season and no longer able to store enough fat until the following winter . If females do not store enough fat for the winter, they can not put down. This warming could therefore quickly lead to the extinction of the species , at least in the wild. It is estimated that the number of polar bears in the world at about 20 000 individuals.