Arctic Sea Ice Essay

The polar bear lives up in the Arctic region where global warming and climate change are melting the ice caps that the bears thrive on. They use the ice as a platform from hunting and rest. The random pocket holes in the ice, where the seals pop up at, is where the polar bear catches its prey. With this reduction of ice, “the abundance of seals, and increases the amount of energy and time needed for hunting, leaving less energy for reproduction” (Endangered Species and Habitats).

Another point he makes is that Polar bears are getting scrawnier because the seal habitat has declined because global warming causes the ice to melt. This is false. A common fact global warming supporters forget to mention is that arctic and Antarctic snowfall replenish the ice each year. Polar bears and seals are more in danger of poaching than losing their habitat to global warming. Both species are on the endangered list. However, weighing anywhere between 775 to 1,200 pounds. Polar bears are still the largest species of bear living on the planet.

Polar bears are one of the countless species who are endangered. They were one of the first animals affected by global warming and their population is heavily decreasing. Around 1980, the Arctic was as large as 8 million square kilometres. In 2011, studies show that the Arctic has reduced its size to 4.5 million square kilometers. In the future, will there be anything such as the Arctic? Scientist predict by 2040, only a fringe of ice will remain in Northeast Canada and Northern Greenland. This is known as the Last Ice Area. This matter is mostly taking part in Canada, since; Canada holds more than half the world’s polar bear population. Other affected countries include the U.S. (Alaska), Greenland,

There are about 100 different species of animals there, all of which are affected by climate change, but polar bears the worst. Polar bears are the most sensitive to the rapid change in climate because most of their life is spent on sea ice. With the temperatures rising in the Beringia Upland Tundra, the sea ice they thrive on is melting at a very high rate (Powell). Without this ice, the polar bears will not be able to easily move around to mate with other polar bears. They will also not be able to successful hunts on seals because the seals will see them swimming and swim away before anything bad can happen to them. If there was not a shortage of ice, the seals would not see the polar bears on the ice and they would swim closer to the surface. Another challenge the polar bears will face is that they will be eventually forced to go on to the seashore. This would be catastrophic because there would be and increase of competition for food. This could start massive stampedes that could kill polar bear cubs due to adult polar bears trampling them. As of now, there are only 26,000 wild polar bears alive. By 2050, it is predicted that two thirds of all wild polar bears will be gone. By 2100, it is predicted that polar bears will become extinct if nothing is done about global warming and climate change (Kliskey). Another animal in the Beringia Upland Tundra that is affected by climate change in

"Polar Bears, Ringed Seals, and the Complex Consequences of Climate Change" is an article written by Mary Bates who earned her PhD studying Bat echolocation. She works for an American Association for the Advancement of Science. In this article Mary talks about how Climate change is impacting different species at different rates. Here, she focuses on sea-ice dependent animals such as Polar Bears and Ringed Seals at Arctic. She explains on how these animals are dependent upon the sea-ice for living. The Arctic is warming at a rate three times greater than the global average, and that the sea ice coverage is declining rapidly. She also talks about Hamilton's study on sea-ice dependent animals. Before the melting of sea ice the Polar bears used

Glacier retreat will greatly affect polar and aquatic ecosystems and animals. Most arctic life revolves around the sea and presence of sea ice. Without the presence of ice, most ecosystems will be recreated. Polar bears are one species in great danger. Polar bears use sea ice as a birthing and hunting ground, and also use it to travel from one place to another. As glaciers start to disappear, the mother polar bear has less access to food; therefore, the chance of survival for her and her young is very slim. The polar bears chance of reproduction becomes less as the glaciers retreat. As the top of the food chain, their decline will cause negative effects for each level below them (Review Diagram G). The only way for polar bears to survive, is by

With the ever rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, and constant warnings about global warming, it is no wonder that the animals inhabiting the artic regions around the world are now suffering a decline in their habitat as well as their livelihood. Such is the case with the Polar Bears who may soon be gone in a scant few years.

When walrus hunt for food they dive in the water and find food, once they are done they return to the surface ice to lay on and rest in between their hunts. When the summer ice melts, the walrus swim to the shore for rest. As the walrus come to shore they meet each other in large groups called haul outs. Haul outs are group of walrus that gather on land due to increased receding ice. Sea ice has been receding at a fast rate and are causing more and more haul outs. These haul outs are very dangerous to the walrus because they are easily spooked from humans, cars, and other animals. When spooked, they run to the water for safety and trample other walrus on the way, giving the calves no way of survival.

According to Hassol, these climate changes are being experienced especially intense in the Arctic, “Arctic average temperature has risen at almost twice the rate as the rest of the world in the past few decades” (8). These trends aren’t stopping anytime soon. The ongoing increases in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere are causing an acceleration in these climate trends according to Hassol. Climate change is going to have major impacts on the earth, for example the sea ice melting. Hassol talks about how this could be seen either positive or negative. For the creatures in the Arctic like the seals and polar bears, the sea ice melting is very harmful to them. However, the reduced sea ice could increase marine access for shipping and offshore oil extraction. However, an increase in those activities would just further complicate the

A research scientist stands on a sheet of ice. He looks right, then left, more ice. Off in the distance are mountains of ice. There are open patches of water in the middle of this great land of ice reflecting the vibrant and glowing sun. Waiting with patience around one patch is a polar bear, white and skinny. Skinny, as the polar bear has not eaten in days. It stands watch with hopeful eyes that a big, juicy seal will pop its head out just enough to get a bite and haul the seal on shore to feed itself and the bear’s two cubs. This area is known as the arctic, and it is home to many animals, such as the polar bear, but they are in danger of losing their home due to the melting ice caps. At the beginning of the article “The geopolitics of Arctic melt”, Charles K. Ebinger, the director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at Brookings Institution, as well as Evie Zambetakis, a Senior Research Assistant at Brookings Institute in 2009, asserts their credence of how the thawing Arctic, due to Global warming, increased the interest of the area worldwide.

Scientists say that the melting of Arctic ice and ice caps are harmful to essential life of arctic animals like polar bears because they live on Arctic ice and ice caps (Rinkesh). Research has proven both of these theories wrong. The Arctic ice and ice caps have increased and are still increasing. Since 2012, the Arctic ice and ice caps have increased in volume by fifty percent (Foley). There are over twenty thousand polar bears in the world and over sixty percent of these polar bears live in Canada (Matishov). The population of polar bears is increasing and staying at a stable rate, depending on their location (Global Warming and Polar Bears). Since, both of these theories have been proven wrong, we do not believe that “global warming” is affecting the Arctic ice or Arctic

This week, a viral picture of a sickly polar bear is causing debate all over the world about climate change. Although the issue is not strongly affecting humans just yet, it is influencing wildlife all over the globe. Polar bears, in particular, have been the focus of concern for various organizations that are making it their mission to protect the endangered species. Now more than ever, it seems the polar bear really needs humans to reconsider the choices being made about the environment.

In 2008 the bears were listed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to global warming (1). This listing happened because of the ongoing loss of critical habitat for polar bears survival. The arctic sea ice sheets are the primary habitat for the bear. The bear lives, and hunts exclusively on these arctic ice sheets. Increasing global temperatures in the world’s oceans are shrinking the arctic ice for longer periods of time during the late summer months, leaving polar bears with limited hunting and breeding

The polar bears are dying rapidly, and if we don’t start thinking about the environment then they will blow out to extinction. Polar bears, known as the bears of antarctica, are magnificent animals. They are the top consumer for most prey. Without them, the secondary consumer would overpopulate and eventually lose control and take over.

Polar bears are the most known animals for the impacts of climate change on species. Global warming has been most prominent in the Arctic, and this trend is expected to continue. Their dependence on sea ice makes them highly vulnerable to a changing climate. Polar bears greatly rely on the sea ice environment for traveling, hunting, mating, resting, and in some areas, maternal dens (WWF). Specifically, they depend heavily on sea ice-dependent prey such as seals. Additionally, their long generation time and low reproductive rate may limit their ability to adapt to changes in the environment. Every time people breathe or burn something, oxygen in the air is converted to carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is used by plants to breathe and is converted back to oxygen, creating a cycle. If there is an increase in oxygen burning, for example, burning a lot of coal or oil to generate electricity or run cars, and cut down trees, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is increased. This makes the air thicker and warms up the earth. The amount of warming is only a few degrees but it is enough to disturb the fragile balance of nature, which in turn will melt the polar ice, raise sea levels, cause violent hurricanes and endanger species such as polar bears. The polar bears are just one example of endangered animals because of the high demand of human need for energy which is acquired by burning fossil fuels.