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| Sources- National Geographic |
Polar bears have long been the poster boys for the consequences of climate change. Now a new study suggests that Arctic species are at risk of extinction by the end of the century. The University of Toronto-led study, published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change, says warming temperatures are causing sea ice to disappear, leaving polar bears increasingly struggling to find the food they need to survive.
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| Sources- Getty Images |
According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are an estimated 22,000 to 31,000 polar bears in the world, although exact numbers are hard to determine because of their remote habitat.
According to a new study, polar bears are completely dependent on sea ice for hunting seals, their primary food source. But the extent of the ice is shrinking because climate change is steadily accelerating the rise in temperatures at the poles, keeping them on land where seals are harder to catch.
While bears can fast for months, their survival depends on how much energy they manage to reserve through eating ahead of time, how much energy they expend during the fast, and also the duration of the fast. The researchers add that it is unclear how long bears can tolerate fasting before it affects their fertility or individual mortality. But in at least two regional groups of polar bears, prolonged fasting periods have already shown to negatively affect their body condition, reproduction rates and size of their populations. The species ability to adapt is also in doubt. At the end of the last ice age, polar bears failed to move and survive on land, and instead migrated further north.
A recent study says that, "Foods that meet the energy demands of polar bears are largely unavailable on land".
Millions have seen the heart-wrenching video of a polar bear clinging to life in Barren Island, its white hair limply covering its thin, bony frame. Shot by Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier of the nonprofit group Sea Legacy, and published on National Geographic in early December, the video ignited a firestorm of debate about what scientists know, and don’t know, about the impacts of global warming on polar bears. Without examining the bear in the video—thought to have died—it’s impossible to know for sure what ailed that individual, but now scientists have published new findings that shed more light on the risk to the species overall.
We request you to watch this video only if you can bear it, because in this video you can see what global warming looks like...
Weakened bears are more susceptible to diseases, and instances of cannibalism among polar bears have been observed in some regions. Additionally, as the ice retreats further from the coast, polar bears may face increased risks of drowning during long-distance swims.
Bears may spend more time on land, where they have limited access to their preferred prey. They may also increasingly rely on alternative food sources, such as scavenging for carcasses or feeding on bird eggs and berries. But, these behavioral changes can disrupt their entire natural patterns and interactions within the ecosystem.
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