Dependency on Sea Ice: Polar bears rely on sea ice as a platform to hunt seals, their primary prey. As Arctic sea ice diminishes due to climate change, bears have less access to seals, leading to longer fasting periods and reduced food intake.
Thinner Ice, Fewer Seals: Warmer temperatures cause sea ice to become thinner and less stable. This affects seal populations, which rely on the ice for breeding and resting. With fewer seals available, polar bears struggle to find adequate food sources.
Longer Fasting Periods: Polar bears are adapted to fasting during summer months when hunting is less productive. However, with longer ice-free seasons, these fasting periods are extending beyond what is sustainable for many bears, leading to malnutrition and weakened health.
Shifted Diet and Foraging Behavior: In response to declining seal availability, polar bears have been observed shifting their diet to include more scavenged food from human settlements and a wider range of terrestrial sources. This change exposes them to new risks and health issues.
Nutritional Challenges: Seals provide essential fats and nutrients that polar bears need to survive and thrive in the harsh Arctic environment. A diet lacking in these nutrients can compromise their reproductive success, cub survival rates, and overall health.
Energy Expenditure: Searching for food in a rapidly changing Arctic requires more energy from polar bears. With diminishing returns on their hunting efforts, bears must expend more energy to obtain fewer calories, exacerbating their nutritional stress.
Population Decline: Some polar bear populations are already experiencing declines due to these environmental pressures. Without significant intervention to mitigate climate change and protect their habitat, the outlook for polar bears remains precarious.
Conservation Efforts: Efforts to conserve polar bears include habitat protection, reducing human-bear conflicts, and advocating for policies to address climate change globally. These efforts are crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of polar bears and the ecosystems they inhabit.