Polar Bears

2 polar bear cubs in a den. 

A starving polar bear trying to hunt.

https://youtu.be/_JhaVNJb3ag: This is a video on a starving polar bear, dying because of climate change.

Polar bears are fascinating creatures that live in the Arctic and various northern countries. They are known by many other names, including sea bears, ice bears, and the white sea deer. Polar bears are famous for their ability to thrive in a severe Arctic environment.

Polar bears depend on the sea ice to live. They hunt Ringed seals by waiting at holes in the ice that seals have made to breathe. When a seal surfaces, the polar lunges and kills it before the seal can dive back underwater. Their diet of seals gives polar bears a thick layer of fat, which protects them from the cold and also serves as an emergency source of energy.

Just like humans, polar bears sleep about 7-8 hours a day, in addition to the naps they take. Sleeping helps conserve energy, since they sometimes cannot eat for several days. They also communicate with each other, using body language, various noises, and scent markings. They can display their emotions, show aggression, and even beg another polar bear to share their food (this link is to a page on the Polar Bears International website that details their communication more in depth: https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears/behavior/).

While polar bears have adapted to a harsh environment, their population is starting to decline. The three main causes are habitat loss, global warming, and human interference. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a crucial habitat for them, but there are many proposals to drill for oil and gas there. Such drilling could destroy their habitats and lifestyle, especially if there is an accident such as an oil spill. However, the biggest threat to polar bears is global warming. As thicker layers of greenhouse gases surround Earth’s atmosphere, the entire planet starts to heat up, particularly the Arctic. The sea ice is melting, making it difficult for polar bears to hunt. The whole polar bear population is starting to starve as they are unable to catch seals. Polar bears are very gifted at swimming, but many of them have died or lost their young as they swim huge distances looking for sea ice. The long swims are also depleting their body fat, which subjects them to the cold.

In order to save the polar bears, humans have to drastically lower the amount of greenhouse gases we release. You can help by planting trees and limiting the amount of energy you use (see my post called 10 Easy Tips to be More Green for more tips on how to lower global warming).

These are two places where you can donate to help save the polar bears:

1. https://defenders.org/

2. https://polarbearsinternational.org/

Source: https://polarbearsinternational.org/