More polar bears giving birth on land

Posted on Wed, Jan. 24, 2007
DAN JOLINGAssociated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Pregnant polar bears in Alaska, which spend most of their lives on sea ice, are increasingly giving birth on land, according to researchers who say global warming is probably to blame.

The study by three scientists for the U.S. Geological Survey suggests the state's bear population could be harmed if the climate continues to grow warmer. Though bears are powerful swimmers, at some point they might have to cross vast stretches of open water to reach habitat on shore suitable for building dens in which to give birth.

From 1985 to 1994, 62 percent of the female polar bears studied dug dens in snow on sea ice. From 1998 to 2004, just 37 percent made dens on ice. The rest dug snow dens on land, according to the study.

Researchers "hypothesized that the sea ice changes may have reduced the availability or degraded the quality of offshore denning habits," said wildlife biologist Anthony Fischbach, lead author of the study. In recent years, Arctic pack ice has formed progressively later and melted earlier each season, he said.

The study is under review by the Geological Survey. Fischbach spoke about the findings Monday at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium.Scientists estimate the Beaufort Sea polar bear population at 1,526. In the study, researchers used satellite technology to track 89 bears in northern Alaska that led them to 124 dens between 1985 and 2004.

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/16529460.htm



Relevant News:

Polar bear cub survival wanes as climate warms
11/16/2006
Reuters
"Polar bear cubs in Alaska's Beaufort Sea are much less likely to survive compared to about 20 years ago, probably due to melting sea ice caused by global warming, a study released on Wednesday said."

http://urlsnip.com/251481


photo taken from Toronto Zoo 2006

coca cola


Will we need to go to the Zoo to see the polar bear?
Will we see the polar bear only from the images?
We care our lives but who cares their lives?
We can hardly estimate how global warming will bring to our lives and our surrounding environment. But we are sure that what it brings should be profound and devastating.

more information about polar bear:
http://www.answers.com/polar+bear&r=67