NUNAVUT - Environment Minister Daniel Shewchuk said the Government of Nunavut no longer supports listing polar bears as "species of special concern" under the federal government's Species At Risk Act because of a lack of evidence.

"In fact, Canada-wide polar bear numbers have increased to historic levels and based on hunters' observations, polar bears are presently still healthy and abundant across Nunavut," said Shewchuk at a press conference in Iqaluit on May 28.

A recommendation was made by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in April 2008 to list polar bears as a "species of special concern" under the SARA act. If the polar bear was put into this classification it could later be listed as "threatened" or "endangered."

According to Environment Canada, there are 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears worldwide with 15,500 of them living in Canada.

Shewchuk said while the government recognizes the Arctic could be affected by climate change, based on scientific and traditional knowledge, the population of the polar bears has almost doubled since the 1970s.

The federal government has the final say when it comes to listing of the bear and it is not known when a decision will be made.