The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the last wild places on Earth. It is a birthing ground for caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, arctic fox, and many other species. It is also the densest on-shore polar bear denning area in the U.S. Even if a spill occurred offshore, the shore and barrier islands of the refuge would likely be oiled, threatening much of the food web, including marine mammals such as ice seals, which polar bears rely on for food. The ripple effect would reach the onshore wildlife in no time.
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