Since earning protected status, the polar bear population has significantly improved. The World Wildlife Federation estimates that as of 2013, the population is between 20,000 and 25,000. Despite that improvement, this species is still officially classified as "threatened" or "vulnerable," which is only one step up from endangered. Human conflicts and climate change threaten their natural habitat, and the species is forced to spend more time on dry land because of of the rapidly melting ice.