Polar bears depend on a frozen platform from which to hunt seals, the mainstay of their diet. Without ice, the bears are unable to reach their prey. In fact, for the western Hudson Bay population of polar bears (the population near Churchill in the Province of Manitoba, Canada), researchers have correlated earlier melting of spring ice with lower fitness in the bears and lower reproduction success. If the reduced ice coverage results in more open water, cubs and young bears may also not be able to swim the distances required to reach solid ice.Further north, in areas where the ice conditions have not changed as much, seal populations have grown (either through migration or more successful reproduction) and polar bear populations are expanding
Yes, that is true, that is why they follow the ice because the seals do also.
If the reduced ice coverage results in more open water, cubs and young bears may also not be able to swim the distances required to reach solid ice.
With a decrease in ice coverage in this area there is more coastal iceline and thus more places to hunt.
Further north, in areas where the ice conditions have not changed as much, seal populations have grown (either through migration or more successful reproduction) and polar bear populations are expanding
Perhaps that is why their assessment seems so bogus to me.
Perhaps we can provide them with some large pontoon boats!!
Hi!! My name is BlueMondaySkipper and I'm with "Pontoons for Polar Bears". We are trying to raise money so all the polar bears who have lost thier ice shelf have a place to hunt seals from.
No, we don't have anything against seals...
Yes, I know I called you last summer to raise money to save the seals...
Hello?? Hello?