Polar Bear Research Paper

Arctic ice caps are melting, causing many animals to find either a new habitat or new food, which are both extremely challenging. For example, in Document A, sea lions

My name is Zachary Rowe, I am going to talk about the global warming weather effects in Alaska and how it has affected the population of various living animal species. The number of large predators living in the southern Beaufort Sea of Alaska has decreased from 1,500 animals in 2001, to just under 900 in 2010. As the species are decreasing in numbers, they are now listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Another problem in 2013, a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have seen a decline in reindeer inside Alaskan boundaries. These aren't the only species whose populations has

"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

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,

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.

The polar bear, the largest land carnivore in North America, one of the largest animals in the world and a favorite at zoos worldwide, has, over the years, adapted to its harsh Arctic environment. The appropriately named ‘ursus maritimum’ or sea bear usually lives between 15 and 18 years in the wild and spends most of its life on ice. It is the most recent of the eight bear species. The first polar bear was a brown bear subspecies, with brown bear dimensions and brown bear teeth. The polar bear evolution was rapid due to the small population and extreme pressure to survive. Even today, the polar bear continues to evolve to better adapt to the harsh realities of Arctic life.

There are not many creatures in the world that have the ability to not only survive thirty-two degrees below zero temperatures, but live in this climate as well. Among penguins and seals, polar bears are apart of the group of creatures that live everyday life in these freezing conditions. However, polar bears were not always able to do this. According to the Public Broadcast Service (PBS) website, polar bears evolved from brown bears through microevolution. Microevolution, by definition, is “small-scale evolution that occurs from one generation to the next” (Larsen p. A15). Due to the discovery of fossils, it is believed that brown bears evolved into polar bears between 70,000 to 100,000 years ago. This evolution can be seen by the change of fur color from brown to white to blend in while hunting for food and by the growth of a thicker, warmer coat to protect against the cold temperatures (PBS). This all occurred because of an event called the “ice age”. However, in the year 2316, an event called “global warming” will cause a much different evolution. Global warming is a phrase used to describe the ongoing, subtle rise in temperature of the earth and it’s oceans. Because of the small efforts being made to slow down global warming, nearly all of the ice caps in the ocean will most likely be melted by the year 2316. With polar bears only being able to survive by living on polar

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).

In conclusion, it took many years for polar bears to adapt perfectly to their new arctic environment. However, they’re facing a new challenge and threat due to the melting of the arctic ice because of global warming. In response, the polar bears will eventually evolved to have thinner fur or the polar bears will be forced to adapt to the increasing temperatures of their habitat and may severely decrease the population. In the future, the cross breeding of polar bear and grizzle bears will help these species survive their changing environment.

Polar bears are one of the most endangered species in the IUCN states this is due to Global warming which most of us are still ignorant about, It has a climatic impact on the Arctic by the rising temperature which results in melting the ice glacier and these glaciers are the homes of polar bears that have been disappearing and shrinking making it

Polar bears are one of so many animals that are going extinct . The polar bear is a bear who is a carnivorous whose native range lives in the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. The polar bear is going extinct for many reasons but the main reasons is that there is ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat because of climate change.According to WWF “Polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species act in May 2008. The survival and the protection of the polar bear habitat are urgent issues.”

Since the ice is slowly breaking away, it is causing a negative effect for polar bears and their foraging ability by not allowing an area for hunting of ringed seals (Elvin, 2014). Rockwell and Gormezano (2009) talk about how the breaking apart of the ice disrupts the amount of time the polar bears have for hunting seals which in return is causing the polar bears to travel to land sooner. Rockwell and Gormezano (2009) state that as the polar bears are coming to shore sooner, they are interfering with the hatching season of snow geese. Due to the polar bears intruding on the nests, this gives the polar bears the opportunity to consume the offspring of the snow geese and obtain any energy still required (Rockwell and Gormezano, 2009). Even though the polar bears may not get the energy they need from seals, they are still able to get it by other means because of the climate changing.

emigration) in order to adapt to the changing climate. As observed specifically in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea region, there is an increase in polar bears sighted on land, namely in the coast and open water area. Since the polar bears need to be on ice to feed, of which much is thin and lost, the polar bear population has essentially been forced to emigrate to land in order to survive (Kovacs, 2010). Although these polar bears have been able to adapt to the changing climate with changes in their migration, the changes can result in damage. Polar bears are not always able to adapt to their land setting, and need to receive adequate nutrition, which is lacking on land due to the inabilities of acquiring marine mammals, their traditional diet. Along with likely drops of populace, many scientists estimate that polar bears will be forced to make, “long migrations from traditional winter ranges to remnant high- latitude summer sea ice… may ultimately preclude bears from seasonally returning to their traditional ranges (Kovacs, 2010).” There is a chance for polar bears to need to be adaptive to the point of changing their region of migration radically. For polar bears to tread to such locations, there is a chance that there will be a drastic change in an extreme specie and geographical way; both the geographical makeup of the polar bears’ habitat can change along with the specie itself (i.e. survival of the fittest and further adaptations in the possible scope of diet

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.