Oilfield workers near Tomsk, in Western Siberia, have taken in a 6 month-old bear cub that they found digging around near their trash heap. “By now the cub is on a comfortable diet of rolls and pieces of salo, which is cured pork fat.” [Interfax]

A new study from The University of Texas at Austin indicates that the Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent estimate of total methane emissions from natural gas production aren’t too far off. “Completion emissions are lower than previously estimated…emissions from pneumatic controllers and equipment leaks are higher than EPA national emission projections…Estimates of total emissions are similar to the most recent EPA national inventory of methane emissions from natural gas production.” [University of Texas at Austin]

And Andy Revkin has written an interesting post about the study, noting that attacks on its findings have already begun, specifically in regards to the oil and gas companies that provided researchers with funding and access to drilling sites. “Leading the charge is Physicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy, which has posted a five-page critique calling the study “fatally flawed” and noting the small sample size and potential sources of bias.” [Dot Earth]