Posted on 03/08/2007 5:57:45 PM PST by blam
Polar bears 'thriving as the Arctic warms up'
By Fred Langan in Toronto and Tom Leonard
Last Updated: 1:43am GMT 09/03/2007
Pictures of a polar bear floating precariously on a tiny iceberg have become the defining image of global warming but may be misleading, according to a new study.
Polar bear experts said that numbers had increased due to the efforts of conservationists
A survey of the animals' numbers in Canada's eastern Arctic has revealed that they are thriving, not declining, because of mankind's interference in the environment.
In the Davis Strait area, a 140,000-square kilometre region, the polar bear population has grown from 850 in the mid-1980s to 2,100 today.
"There aren't just a few more bears. There are a hell of a lot more bears," said Mitch Taylor, a polar bear biologist who has spent 20 years studying the animals.
His findings back the claims of Inuit hunters who have long claimed that they were seeing more bears.
"Scientific knowledge has demonstrated that Inuit knowledge was right," said Mr Taylor.
While fellow scientists have accepted Mr Taylor's findings, critics point out that his study was commissioned by the Inuit-dominated government of Nunavit.
Critics claim the government has an agenda to encourage polar bear hunting and keep the animals off the endangered species list.
In small Inuit communities, hunters kill bears that wander too close to human settlements and, in this particular region, they are licensed to kill six polar bears a year.
Polar bear experts said that numbers had increased not because of climate change but due to the efforts of conservationists.
The battle to ban the hunting of Harp seal pups has meant the seal population has soared - boosting the bears' food supply.
At the same time, fewer seal hunters are around to hunt bears.
"I don't think there is any question polar bears are in danger from global warming," said Andrew Derocher of the World Conservation Union, and a professor of biological sciences at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. "People who deny that have a clear interest in hunting bears."
Bear numbers on the west coast of Hudson's Bay had shrunk by 22 per cent over the past decade, he said.
"They are declining due to global warming and changes in when the ice freezes and melts in Hudson's Bay," he added. He and other scientists in his group are concerned that the retreating ice in the Arctic may pose a danger to future generations of polar bears because of 'habitat loss'. "The critical problem is the sea ice is changing. "We're looking ahead three generations, 30 to 50 years.
"To say that bear populations are growing in one area now is irrelevant."
However, Prof Derocher conceded that some polar bear-related evidence of the damaging effect of global warming was misplaced.
Contrary to concern over a celebrated photograph of a bear and its cub floating on a tiny iceberg, the animals often travel in that way, he said.
"Bears will often hang out on glacier ice or large pieces of multi-year ice," he said.
The state of Alaska yesterday questioned the scientific justification for proposals to add polar bears to the US endangered species list.
Tina Cunnings, a biologist attached to the Alaskan government, questioned whether they needed sea ice to survive, saying they could adapt to hunt on land and find alternative food sources to seals.
Prof Derocher said the theory was "absolutely fanciful".
New slogan:
** SAVE A POLAR BEAR -- SHUT DOWN THE GORE AND EDWARDS ESTATES **
It's actually "Dr. Mitch Taylor" -- he's got a PhD in biology & 20 years experience as a bear biologist. It seems likely that he knows how to count bears.
I remember reading somewhere (Natural History Museum I think) that polar bears evolved from brown bears trapped north of the continental ice sheets during previous ice ages.
Click pn POGW graphic for full GW rundown
Ping me if you find one I've missed.
If I could, I would speed Global Warming. But I think it's 100% due to solar radiation and there's nothing I can do to influence the trend one way or the other.
Bears have been floating on icebergs for freaking ever. That it's a small iceberg and not a big one is irrelevant.
This is like seeing a deer in your garden eating your plants and concluding that global warming has decimated the supply of deer food, so he must invade gardens to survive.
I can't believe that people are so logically weak and actually fall for this stuff.
Think of all the fishing that could take place and shipping commerce on thawed waterways. Think of all the land that would become arable - the land that people could now live on and cultivate.
Despite any evidence to the contrary, it appears the supporters of Global Warming want to have Nunavit...
LOL! Good one!
I would really like to have a polar bear hide for a blanket.
That fluffy white fur would be really nice on a cold night.
What does one cost?
How condescending can you possible be???
$230.00
"They are made of top quality acrylic fake fur, have"
I want real polar bear fur and skin. No acrylic bears for me...
Oh, so these good lefties don't trust the native peoples' estimate of the number of bears? So much for multiculturalism, eh?;)
In my opinion, polar bears will crap on Al Gore's grave long after he succumbs to the wrath of the climate monster he created in his mind, "global warming".
"Canada, Greenland, and Russia"
True about becoming more habitable. BUT, who lives there now? Evil, nasty white people who would stand to benefit. For lefties, that's the problem;)
Polar Bear Stew is very tasty and with all these extra polar bears its become much more economical
Thousands. At least 5 -- 15 or more for trophy sized. They would definitly keep you warm though.
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