Ice-free time: this is how climate change threatens polar bears

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Ice-free periods in the Arctic are difficult for the polar bear. Although they also forage on land, they are less successful and inevitably lose weight.

Polar bears are adaptable and occasionally hunt prey on land. But if the ice-free period lasts longer, scientists fear that the survival of the species will be seriously endangered. According to estimates, 22 to 67 percent fewer young animals could be born in 2050.

Other researchers estimate that a quarter of men will starve if the Arctic Ocean remains ice-free for 180 days.

To investigate this, a team led by Anthony Pagano of the Alaska Science Center studied 20 polar bears in Canada’s Hudson Bay for several weeks during the sea ice-free period for the journal Nature Communications.

Documentation via GPS tracker
The authors measured the animals’ daily energy expenditure and changes in their body weight. Using GPS trackers equipped with a camera, the researchers were able to observe how the animals behaved, what they ate and how much they moved.

“Some bears simply lay down and used a similar amount of energy as during hibernation. Others actively foraged for food, subsisting on bird and caribou carcasses, seaweed and berries. “Three animals even swam several kilometers through the sea in search of food,” it reads.

19 out of 20 animals lost weight
Depending on the activity, the researchers also found large differences in the animals’ daily energy expenditure. In total, 19 of the 20 polar bears lost weight: 0.4 to 1.7 kilograms per day and therefore 8 to 36 kilograms within the three-week observation period.

“Some animals were able to find food. “But they ended up using more energy looking for food than they could get back through food,” the researchers said.

Source: Krone

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