Is Global Warming Affecting Polar Bears

Is Global Warming Affecting Polar Bears?

Aubree Wells
Bibliographic Essay
Research Techniques & Technologies, Leslie, 2 pm Class

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Abstract
The focus of this article will be about how global warming affects polar bears. In recent
history global warming has become more and more of an issue. It is affecting many things in our
world because the climate is becoming increasingly warmer as time continues to progress. It is
also affecting animals that live in cooler places, such as Antarctica, Canada, Alaska and more.
Polar bears have been having an exceptionally hard time with the warming of the climate. These
animals spend much of their lives on ice hunting and looking for sea lions and other smaller
animals to eat, but as the climate is changing the ice is not expanding as far as it used toin fact
it is melting more and more. This is making it undoubtedly hard for them to hunt and find food.
Since it is so difficult for them to find food many of the polar bears are dying off. Over the years
the number of polar bears in the world has gradually deceased. Soon they will possibly be
extinct. Lately scientists have been wondering if next generation children will know what a polar
bear is, or looks like. Surely may still see them in the zoo and they are also in some Animal
Planet documentaries that are up-to-date. However, people typically do not want the growing
generation to watch an aged history show just to fill them with false information on polar bears.
Will polar bears be able to adapt and live through this declining situation? Some scientists have
looked into it and have a few theories. This essay will explain all of this and more on how polar
bears are really being affected by global warming.

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Global Warming and how it Affects Polar Bears

Introduction
Global warming is the gradual increase of the temperature of the atmosphere. This is
having an extensive impact on places with remarkably cold climates such as the Artic,
Antarctica, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia and Norway. It absolutely impacts animals that
live there. These animals primarily include polar bears. Over the years the number of polar bears
have gradually started to dwindle. Perhaps, in the near future polar bears will become extinct.
Scientists have recently been wondering if the next generations of children will have knowledge
on what a polar bear is and or looks like, and global warming is affecting polar bears in more
ways than one.
Change in Environment
Polar bears are unwillingly having to fast for four months during the summer because
that is the time they have to hoard the most food. This meaning that they are forced to gather
food during the short periods of winter, but since the ice is melting more rapidly every year then
it is making it progressively difficult for polar bears because they have to go such a long period
of time while being food deprived. Soon they most likely will not be able to last the dreadfully
long months of summer and possibly more because they are not able to gather enough food
during their allotted short months of winter. In the article "Possible Impacts of Climate Warming
on Polar" Bears by Ian Sterling, he states, It is likely that seal populations will decline wherever
the quality and availability of breeding habitat, so not only is the climate change affecting polar

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bears, it is also affecting other animals that live in cold climates such as seals (Possible Impacts
of Climatic Warming on Polar Bears).
Polar bears habitats are being drastically changed by the shift in the climate temperatures.
With the temperature slowly increasing polar bears are incapable of getting a sufficient amount
of food for the summer months to survive individually. This being said, they are unlikely to have
cubs because they can barely provide enough food for themselves during those four or so
months, therefore there is no way they can provide food for a cub as well during this time.
Because polar bears are not reproducing there are few new polar bears in the world now. With
the ice thinning the polar bears are not able to venture out as far as they would like to scavenge
for resources because the ice is too thin and breaks easily. With this in mind the polar bears have
to swim rather than walk to try and get food which is using a great deal of energy that they would
not have had to use before. Even if they do in fact get a sufficient amount of food they are going
to want to eat more than usual because of the fact that they utilized a lot of energy by swimming.
Polar Bears in a Warming Climate by Andrew Derocher predicted that the sea ice will cease to
exist as a whole soon, so if that is true it is unlikely that polar bears will exist much longer, it is
unlikely that polar bears will survive as a species (Integrative and Comparative Biology).
Change in Diet
As stated above in the following paragraphs, it is extremely important for the polar bears
to get time out on the ice (as much time as they can) because that is when they are trying to build
up their energy for the warmer seasons. This is even more crucial for polar bears that are nursing
their cubs. Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bears by WWF estimates that The main cause of
death in cubs to be either lack of food or lack of fat on nursing mothers (Impact of Climate
Change on Polar Bears). This is causing a 40 percent population loss in polar bears (Polar Bear

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Population Decline a Wake Up Call for Climate Change Action). If polar bears are unable help
themselves then they are not going to be able to help their own cubs. Polar Bear Population
Decline a Wakeup Call for Climate Change Action by WWF states that if polar bears are not able
to provide for their cub, the cub will either die or the polar bear won't even try to have a cub in
the first place. This does not allow them to repopulate because they arent even having offspring
anymore. This warming climate is having an enormous effect on ice dependent animals such as
polar bears (Polar Bear Population Decline a Wake Up Call for Climate Change Action).
Polar bears are largely affected in areas such as the Hudson Bay. In For Polar Bears, a
Climate Change Twist by James Gorman, Gorman mentions the ice is breaking up so much
quicker than normal that it is causing the bears that are hunting to have to jump off and swim,
sometimes up to miles back to the shore (For Polar Bears, a Climate Change Twist). Without
enough sea ice the polar bears are unable to hunt seals, which is their main source of food.
Because the ice is retreating faster they have to go back to the land sooner, which is good for
them because that is prime time when the geese comes and start reproducing. So although they
are not getting sufficient food from seals they do have another source of food that is helping
them in the end (For Polar Bears, a Climate Change Twist). Regardless, in the end this still isnt
enough, polar bears risk possible extinction if humans do not step in and start taking proactive
steps (Will Polar Bears Die out Because of Climate Change?).
Increasing Threat and Injury
In the article "Will Polar Bears Die Out Because of Climate?" by Lisa Feldkamp,
Feldkamp explains that scientists have a theory that the polar bears could possibly eat food other
than seals. Nothing is certain yet, though they have to do some further research (Source 6). With
the ice melting people might assume that the bears have to migrate north to find more ice,

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however this is terribly incorrect. When the ice breaks up it travels south so the bears have to
migrate south rather than north to reach the ice. This is causing some conflict between humans
and the bears (Will Polar Bears Die out Because of Climate Change?). In the paper "Global
Warming Could Kill the Polar Bears" by Endangered Polar Bears states that although the bears
are having to migrate it is still extremely difficult for them because they have to stay on the
shore more, because the ice forms later in the years and lasts for fewer months so they are just
gradually starving (Global Warming and the Polar Bear). Essentially, even though the bears are
trying to migrate they are still having a hard time because they cannot move until later in the
years and having to return to shore sooner. If they bears do want to migrate they have to time
their excursions just perfectly.
When polar bears are attempting to migrate if they do not do it soon enough or do so too
late then the ice they are trying to travel on melts and they are stuck in the middle of ocean,
leaving the bears to drown. The Consequence of Global Warming on Wildlife by NRDC
estimates that two-thirds of the worlds polar bear sub-population will be extinct by mid-century
due to the melting of the arctic ice caps (The Consequenses of Global Warming on Wildlife).
Some scientists think that this could potentially be good for the polar bears, even though they are
usually talking about all of the bad. Polar Bears in a Warming Climate by Nicholas Lunn
speculates it may improve bear and seal habitats in higher latitudes over continental shelves if
currently thick multiyear ice is replaced by annual ice with more leads, making it more suitable
for seals (Integrative and Comparative Biology). However, with that being said most of the
effects on polar bears will be unfavorable. Again, it is not only scientists stating that polar bears
will likely be extinct soon, Climate Change Effects on Ocean Animals by New England
Aquarium states that wildlife service listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the

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Endangered Species Act meaning that they believe this animal will become extinct in the near
future (Endangered Species and Habitats).

Long Term Proynosis

There are some extensively long term effects that global warming is having on polar
bears. Polar Bear and Climate Change by Andrew Derocher tells us that polar bears fur is
becoming more yellow so that they can blend in to the surroundings better. Their feet are also
heavily furred to provide warmth (Polar Bears and Climate Change). The polar bears have to
build their homes much farther inland because if they do not they could run the risk of possibly
breaking away from the land and then end up in the middle of the ocean or sea once they wake
up. The warming of the climate change is not only affecting polar bears it is also affecting other
animals such as sea turtles, seals, and penguins. In 10 Animals Threatened by Global Warming
Debra Bell states that the penguin species that feed by just dropping off the ice shelves, like the
Adelie and the emperor (pictured), are declining but some of the penguins that feed in the
middle of the ocean continue to do well (10 Animals Threatened by Global Warming). Even
though polar bears are essencially the most affected by global warming, some other animals are
also affected.
Conclusion
To conclude, the effects on polar bears are exeedingly difficult. Soon a majority of the
polar bears will become extinct due to global warming (or the warming of the climate). Not only
are polar bears affected, but other animals that live in cooler climates are affected as well. The
polar bears have to make some drastic adjustments just so to be able survivein their changing

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environment. A great amount of the polar bears that are still alive have to migrate to a more
stable habitat and adapt to their new home. If something is not done quickly polar bears and
maybe some other animals that live in climates such Iceland are unfortunatly going to become
extinct sooner rather than later.

Works Cited
Bell, Debra. "10 Animals Threatened by Global Warming." US News. N.p., 19 Nov. 2009.
Web.
"The Consequences of Global Warming On Wildlife." Consequences of Global Warming.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Derocher, Andrew E., Nicholas J. Lunn, and Ian Sterling. "Polar Bears in a Warming
Climate." Polar Bears in a Warming Climate. N.p., 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Derocher, Andrew E. "Polar Bears and Climate Change." Actionbioscience. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
"Endangered Species and Habitats." Climate Change: The Effects on Ocean Animals.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Feldkamp, Lisa. "Will Polar Bears Die Out Because of Climate Change?" Cool Green
Science. N.p., 03 Dec. 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
"Global Warming and the Polar Bear." Endangered Polar Bear. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov.
2015.
Gorman, James. "For Polar Bears, a Climate Change Twist." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Hariot, Michele D. "Journal of the Short Story in English." The Eternal Present in Joyce

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Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
"Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bears." WWF -. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Stirling, Ian, and Andrew E. Derocher. "Possible Impacts of Climatic Warming on Polar
Bears." Jstor.org. N.p., Sept. 1993. Web.
Williams, Margret. "Polar Bear Population Decline a Wake Up Call for Climate Change
Action." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.