New Photography Exhibit Spotlights the Devastating Impact of Global Warming on Polar Bears
June 28 - Dec 31, 1008
Seattle, Washington —
The Last Polar Bear: Facing the Truth of a Warming World - Burke Museum
The polar bear may soon face extinction as its Arctic habitat rapidly melts away. Opening June 28, 2008, the Burke Museum premieres a stunning new environmental photography exhibit, The Last Polar Bear: Facing the Truth of a Warming World, bringing to life the devastating urgency of global warming's impact on the Arctic as documented by the dramatic polar bear images by accomplished wildlife photographer Steven Kazlowski.
Kazlowski has dedicated the past eight years to tracking and photographing polar bears in the Alaskan Arctic - a harsh terrain that is rarely visited and seldom photographed - documenting changes in the animals' habitat and behavior over time. In The Last Polar Bear, 40 large-format color photographs reveal the plight of the polar bear as it faces rapid change in its Arctic coastal habitat from Canada's Hershel Island to Point Hope, Alaska.
"The exhibit will help visitors learn how changes brought about through global warming are affecting polar bears, walruses, seals and other species - including humans - that share this challenging Arctic environment," says Erin Younger, Burke Museum Associate Director. "Steven's compelling photographs bring to life these rugged land- and seascapes and the magnificent creatures that live there."
Visitors to the exhibit will follow the path of these alpha-predators, learning about the unique biology of the polar bear and the Arctic web of life to which they belong. Intimate images portray the bears' annual cycle of life from mothers with cubs to adolescents at play to adults on the hunt. An interactive, hands-on study area allows families to further explore the scientific concepts behind polar bear science and global warming and find more information about what they can do to help make a difference.
