Polar bear population decline a wake up call for climate change action

"If you want to stop further loss of habitat and ensure that the population of wildlife in the Arctic Circle and around the world is recovered, we need to change direction."

40% This is an amazing population decrease for polar bears in southern Beaufort Sea. This news comes from a new study linking the sharp decline of northeast Alaska and polar bear subgroups in Canada with the reduction of sea ice due to climate change.

How does climate change affect polar bears? Polar bears rely on sea ice to get seals as the main source of food, rest and breeding. Because there is a small amount of sea ice a year, organisms dependent on polar bears and many other ice are in danger.

This study, published today in Ecology magazine, analyzed the polar bear data in northeast Alaska and northwest north and recorded 40% of the loss of 1,500 to 900 bears between 2001 and 2010.

Climate change is a big threat to polar bears. But we also know that this effect can be seen everywhere in the world. It is now time for us to say that and seek global action.

Dr. Pete Ewins, senior animal manager for the Canadian World Nature Conservation Foundation, said, "A clear warning sign of the impact of Arctic warming on ice dependent species such as polar bears." It will not be surprising to find this. "

Margaret Williams, Executive Director of WWF Arctic Program, adds as follows. "Here is specific data showing what the impact of climate change is currently taking.To change the direction for resilient wildlife, in the Arctic and around the world."

Polar bears are classified as vulnerable due to the expected loss of habitat due to climate change and at least three of the 19 polar bear subgroups are currently in recession. However, at least two of the 19 subpopulations are currently increasing, and the other six variants are considered to be stable. For decades, the international community has been paying more attention to the future of species due to massive hunting, but after the regulation and allocation has been carried out the population has rebounded. For thousands of years, polar bears were important people in the polar material country, spiritual and cultural life, and polar bears are still important in their culture. Historically, polar bears have also been called Polar bears.

The Arctic ecosystem is very vulnerable to climate change. As the polar icecap is warmed, many species are affected. Polar bear is an important indicator in this respect. Because the number of individuals has decreased markedly in recent years. Today, in the Arctic history, the polar bear population is faced with an unprecedented threat. According to data from the World Wildlife Organization, the Arctic will experience major changes over the next decades based on recent climate change scenarios based on global climate trend data. Considering that, the thickness of the Arctic basin ice has decreased by 40% in the last 30 years. The annual average ice sheet area of ​​polar regions has also decreased sharply, and the annual average decrease is over 1 million square kilometers.

Polar bear is a symbol of climate change in various ways. In 2008, they were listed as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act - the first species included in the species, as the population was predicted to decrease due to climate change. Main reason for the decrease: loss of sea ice habitat due to global warming in Arctic Circle. Polar bears need sea ice - the main source of food - to hunt seals - and the big house they need to feed habitat. I feel the influence of the shrinkage of the sea ice, the polar bear is not alone. As the summer sea ice continues to retreat, arctic species such as walrus face similar challenges. National park service