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Polar Bears And Climate Change Essay

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Earth’s climate has been changing over the last few decades, with the global temperatures rising at a high rate (Corell, 2006). Some of these climate changes are due to natural causes, although the strength at which temperatures are rising indicates human influences, such as increased carbon dioxide emission, as well as other greenhouse gases. Climate change particularly affects the Arctic region, where warmer temperatures are causing decrease in sea ice extent and thickness, permafrost thawing, coastal erosion, changes in ice sheets and shelves, and consequently, changes in the distribution and reproduction rates of Arctic species (Corell, 2006).
Warmer temperatures have led to increased melting of glaciers and sea ice, and shortening of …show more content…

Climate change, specifically warmer temperatures, has extensively altered these habitats by reducing sea ice extent, thus affecting polar bears since they use it as a platform to travel, hunt, and rest. Changes in the timing of sea ice formation and break up limits the amount of time bears can feed off of seals during late and early summer, hence limiting the amount of fat they are able to store for later seasons. Lower rates of food intake and storage correlates to low reproductive rates, and since females do not have sufficient fat and mass required for successful parturition, they abstain from …show more content…

Warmer temperatures are rapidly melting seasonal ice cover in shallow continental shelf, which walruses need in order for them and their pups to rest. Additionally, mothers take advantage of the time their calves are resting to dive and feed off of bottom-dwelling animals such as crabs; inability to adapt to shallow waters with no ice cover could result in a significant population decline (“Walrus Calves Stranded”,

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Introduction The Ochotona princeps, better known as the American Pika or Pika, is a small, little creature that is becoming one of the upcoming symbols of global warming ("American Pika"). The O. princeps are beginning to suffer from global climate changes to their habitat in the Western mountains of the United States ("American Pika"). In an experiment by Anna D. Chalfoun, Daniel F. Doak, and Leah H. Yandow, the effects of habitat and climate change on the Pika abundance in two mountain ranges is tested to see how global warming is impacting the species (Chalfoun. Doak, and Yandow).

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In the article “With Climate Change, Grizzly Bears May Hibernate Less”, the author, Sarah Zielinski, explains the potential effects of climate change on grizzly bears. Zielinski states that climate change could potential cause bears to hibernate less. She also says that this worries scientists because hibernation is a very important time for grizzly bears, it allows them to survive on small amounts of food, because they reduce the amount of energy they use by around 85 percent. In addition, this is the time when females give birth to their offspring. This combined with the hunting of these bears could have a huge effect on the population of them.

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Depending on the bears location, what season it is, and the sex and age of the individual their home can vary with males usually overlapping the territory of many female bears. The less food supply, water, and shelter in the area, the larger range a bears home becomes. With the bears strong build, they are able to travel anywhere in the forest. With long sharp claws, they can climb trees when feeling threatened. They have very

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Polar bear endangerment The article “Melting Ice Threatens Polar Bears ' Survival” by Katie Madan is about the melting icebergs and how it is threatening the polar bears survival. The department of interiors are making a decision on putting the polar bears on the endangered species list, a study shows the Polar bears in beau fort sea region in Alaska and Canada are going to go extinct soon. The bears need there ice as a platform to hunt for their food such as seals or fish, if they cant hunt for food then they will die of starvation thus making them extinct. The population of the polar bears having been decreasing by 25 percent per year.

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As a consequence, these animals are now forced to spend more time on shore scavenging for food, often going without while awaiting new ice to form in the fall. There is also growing concern for polar bear cubs that are thought to be incapable of swimming the increasingly greater distances in open water between shrinking ice floes. As evidence, they offer the growing number of very young polar bear carcasses that they notice being washed up on shore. Many mother bears also appear to be dangerously thin and less able to fend for themselves and their young. This situation is quite noticeable among polar bears along the western shore of Hudson Bay, especially around the town of Churchill Manitoba, a location where polar bears traditionally spend the late months of fall foraging on shore awaiting the freeze-up, a freeze-up that now comes later each year.

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Blubber If an animal habitat is located in a cold, frosty area, such as the Arctic Circle, bearing with the weather could be a challenge. Many warm-blooded animals, such as whales and seals, rely on blubber to keep their body temperatures up. Whales, for example, are constantly swimming. They could not survive in the frigid water without their blubber protecting and keeping them warm.

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People may know about climate change and the drastic changes it is having on the environment, but what they may not be aware of is that another degree increase in the world’s average temperature will cause even bigger problems for people all over. Climate change is long term shifts in temperature and patterns in the weather. Greenhouse gasses, gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere causing it to warm up are at an all-time high due to humans and the amount of fossil fuels we use. The most crucial result of climate change is global health, but animal endangerment and the rise in sea levels are also very important effects.

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Polar Bears are a species that is in decline. They are currently listed as a vulnerable species because of the decline of their population. Climate change is a driving causes in the decline of Polar Bears. According to a study published in Ecological Applications, “Polar bears prefer sea ice concentrations exceeding 50% in the shallow, productive waters over the continental shelf” (634). This sea ice is essential to the Polar Bears because it allows them to feed off of their prey.

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They love to eat meat and berries, including fish, rabbits, and blueberries. They both have razor sharp teeth and claws. The grizzly and the polar bear both have very soft fur that keeps them warm in the winter. They both are excellent swimmers. Polar bears live in snowy areas while the grizzly bear lives in forest’.

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The book “The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change” written by Tim Flanner pertains to predicting the global warming consequence on earth and species. In chapter 9, the unraveling world, the author talks about global warming and how it can have a long-lasting and far-reaching impact on our lives. He points out the substantial and rapid change of the climate and its connection with the effects of El Nino and La Nina are also uncovered. Climate change can be a major contributor as to where species live and how they interact. The changes can also be observed by the changing migration patterns of these species.

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Document A states, "Climate change is warming the Arctic along with the rest of the planet — and in the Arctic, that means sea ice is melting," (DA) This is important for many reasons. Document A claims, "Sea ice is crucial for polar bears survival," and that "Most scientists agree that these trends spell likely trouble for polar bears. " This shows that the Arctic melting impacts polar bears and other Arctic animals, but that is not the only reason the artic melting is bad. The Arctic ice melts into water and Document H shows that millions of people all around the world would be flooded out of their homes.

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The polar bear seems to be very malnourished and needs help. The journal cover says, “Staying Alive” in white capital letter and underneath that it says to “Cut greenhouse-gas emissions now and we can still save the polar bear”. Which suggest that climate change affects polar bears greatly and that we can

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Polar bears can swim; however, with less ice they have to swim long distances and many polar bears are drowning and losing significant body fat from lack of food. Additionally, with a lack of food, the bears reproductive system is down

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Walrus eats clams and shellfish on continental shelves as the bottom feeders. If the ifec edge retreats from the shelves to deeper areas, there won't be easy to get clams and shellfish, making travel longer distance. Video- Potential Solutions Noah- I will be talking about potential solutions to global warming.

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Sea ice is now melting earlier in the spring and forming later in the fall. For every week earlier the ice breaks up in Hudson Bay, bears come ashore roughly 22 pounds lighter and in poorer condition. Unhealthy bears can lead to lower reproduction rates. (“Threats To Polar

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