The 8-cent Polar Bear stamp was the top-left stamp in a block of four issued under the "Wildlife Conservation" theme, with a specific focus on endangered species. The other animals featured were the California Condor, the Alligator, and a species of Trout. The design, by Stanley Galli, shows a solitary polar bear on an ice floe, starkly illustrating its connection to the sea ice environment. The First Day of Issue ceremony was held in New York City, a departure from the more typical practice of choosing a location thematically linked to the stamp's subject. This strategic choice aimed to bring the message of conservation to a major metropolitan and media hub, emphasizing that wildlife preservation was a national and global issue. At the time, the primary threats to polar bears were considered to be hunting and oil exploration. The stamp's release helped to foster a broader public understanding of the precarious existence of such magnificent creatures, long before the impacts of climate change on their sea ice habitat became a primary concern.