A solitary polar bear has become a symbol of the impact of climate change on wildlife as it swims for hours in an ice-free Arctic. However, in the Barents Sea north of Norway, the local polar bear population seems to be faring well despite decades of melting sea ice and increased ice-free days. Recent research published in Scientific Reports reveals that these bears are adapting surprisingly well to the changing conditions in their ecosystem.
According to Andrew Derocher, a biological sciences professor at the University of Alberta and co-author of the study, the bears in the Barents Sea region are managing to thrive in the absence of sea ice and sustain themselves adequately. This resilience showcases the diverse responses within animal populations to environmental changes caused by human activities.
While experts acknowledge the temporary adaptability of these polar bears to the diminishing sea ice, they caution that continued loss of ice cover will ultimately have devastating consequences for the species. The study, which analyzed data from live captures of bears in the Svalbard archipelago between 1995 and 2019, sheds light on the bears’ body conditions and overall health.
The research, which involved capturing and studying 770 bears over the years, highlighted the profound effects of a warming Arctic on the bears’ habitat. Despite facing earlier sea ice breakup and longer ice-free periods post-2005, the polar bears in the Svalbard area initially experienced a decline in body condition but eventually stabilized.
One possible explanation for the bears’ resilience could be their consumption of alternative prey not typically part of their diet, such as walruses, bird eggs, and whale carcasses. The availability of these food sources on land reduces the need for polar bears to exert extra energy in hunting, contributing to their ability to maintain their body condition.
Although the Barents Sea polar bears present a hopeful case, experts caution that the situation may not be mirrored in all polar bear populations. The challenges faced by Canadian polar bears in regions like western Hudson Bay and the Beaufort Sea serve as a stark reminder of the detrimental effects of diminishing sea ice on the species.
John Whiteman, a chief research scientist with Polar Bears International, emphasizes the varying short-term outlook for polar bear populations across different regions, while underscoring the inevitable long-term threat posed by ongoing climate change. The fate of the Barents Sea polar bears remains uncertain, with experts emphasizing the unpredictability of the future for these resilient creatures.