Climate change not only effects people, but wildlife as well. The polar bear has become the poster-child of climate change, but why? The answer is simple, it is because of sea ice. During the dark winter months, the Arctic is covered by sea ice. In the summer months, some of this sea ice melts, and it reaches it's minimum thickness by mid-September. Ice is an important indicator for climate change because the increasing temperature is causing more and more sea ice to melt. "September 2012 had the lowest sea ice extent on record, 49 percent below the
1979-2000 average for that month" (EPA). You can read more about sea ice and how it plays a role as an indicator here.
How does sea ice effect polar bears? Sea ice is essentially the life platform for polar bears, without it they can't live. The decreasing sea ice means "reduced access to food, drop in body conditions, lower cub survival rates, increase in drowning, increase in cannibalism, loss of access to denning areas, and declining populations" (PBI). Polar bears can be found in the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway. In 2008, there was an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears still in the wild, and about 60 percent of those bears lived in Canada (PBI). At their 2013 meeting, the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Polar Bear Specialist Group reported that of the 19 subpopulations of polar bears 4 are declining, 5 are stable, 1 is increasing, and 9 have insufficient data (PBI). "Scientists predict that unless we take action to stop climate change, we will lose two-thirds of all polar bears by the middle of the century and all of them by the end of the century" (PBI). These magnificent bears can still be saved, but they need our help. The top photo is a picture from my trip to see polar bears up-close, click the buttons below to learn more about my story and what you can do to help polar bears. Also, if you would like more information on polar bears, click here. |
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references
"Arctic Sea Ice." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Polar Bear Status Report." Polar Bears International. Polar Bears International, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Polar Bear Status Report." Polar Bears International. Polar Bears International, n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.