Five years ago wildlife biologist Charles Monnett made news with his observation of drowned polar bears in the Arctic sea, which helped fuel the debate over global warming. Today, Monnett has made headlines again, this time for being suspended from his job pending a government investigation into alleged scientific misconduct.

Monnett’s employer, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement , has not said what the biologist is in trouble for, saying the matter has to do with “integrity issues.”

Polar Biology, “ But a watchdog group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) , insists Monnett is being investigated because of his 2006 article in, “ Observations of mortality associated with extended open-water swimming by polar bears in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea .” The article, co-authored with researcher Jeffrey S. Gleason, suggested that “drowning-related deaths of polar bears may increase in the future if the observed trend of regression of pack ice and/or longer open water periods continues." This seemingly innocuous observation led to the authors being treated like enemies by the oil industry, which wants to drill in the Arctic region.

PEER claims federal officials “have actively persecuted Dr. Monnett, acted on hearsay and rumors, gratuitously tarnished his reputation and substantially disrupted important scientific research.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky