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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

To the Editor: Re “ Bearing Up ” (Op-Ed, Jan. Sarah Palin of Alaska, the scientific literature is very clear that polar bear survival is highly threatened in the wild. Because polar bears are at the top of the marine food chain, their bodies accumulate persistent organic pollutants that disrupt their reproductive systems.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

Just as lacewings and dragonflies keep mosquito populations in check, birds of prey eat rodents that can carry Lyme-bearing ticks, hantavirus, plague bacteria and other ills. Boston, Oct. 18, 2007 The writer is associate director, Center for Health and the Global Environment , Harvard Medical School. Epstein, M.D.