The polar bear (scientific name Ursus maritimus) struggles to cross the ice on the sea. In the past, it would have already found its hunting ground, but with the recent melting of ice, there are gaps in the paths. As a result, there has been an increase in polar bears rummaging through garbage cans in human settlements.
On the 27th, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released photos and videos illustrating the reality of polar bears losing their habitats due to climate change, in observance of International Polar Bear Day. Established in 2006, International Polar Bear Day aims to raise awareness about the endangered polar bears threatened by global warming and the environmental issues they face.
◇Decrease in sea ice hampers seal hunting
The polar bear is the largest terrestrial carnivore and the apex predator in the food chain. However, due to rapid climate change, the Arctic glaciers and sea ice are diminishing quickly, threatening the polar bear's habitat.
When snow falls inland, it becomes glaciers, and when seawater freezes, it forms sea ice. The polar bear hunts by capturing the moment a seal surfaces to breathe on the sea ice. However, hunting opportunities have sharply decreased as sea ice rapidly diminishes because of climate change.
According to a report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United States National Snow and Ice Data Center, the total glacier volume in the Arctic has decreased by more than 50% over the past 20 years. Especially as of January 2025, the average Arctic sea ice area is 13.13 million square meters, which is about 1.29 million square meters (approximately 8.95%) less than the average of 14.42 million square meters from the same period between 1981 and 2010.
The WWF predicted that the polar bear population will decline by more than 30% by 2050. Currently, the polar bear is classified as a 'vulnerable (VU, Vulnerable)' endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
◇Sea ice disappearing from the capital of polar bears
The WWF released footage capturing the polar bear, warning that its habitat is rapidly disappearing. Churchill, located in northern Manitoba, Canada, is known as the 'capital of the world's polar bears' as it serves as a gathering spot for polar bears during seal hunting from October to November each year. However, the sea ice in Hudson Bay is forming later and melting faster, leading to longer periods of polar bears staying on land.
Currently, the ice-free period in the western Hudson Bay region, where Churchill is located, is estimated to be about 150 days. According to a paper published last year in a Nature sister journal, if the Earth's temperature rises by 1.5 degrees Celsius, the duration could extend up to 155 days, and if it rises by 2 degrees, it could increase to between 165 and 170 days, making survival and reproduction for polar bears even more challenging. The Paris Agreement aims to limit the increase in global average temperature to within 1.5 degrees compared to pre-transfer levels, but it has already surpassed 1.5 degrees last year.
The WWF also conveyed the reality of polar bears having to swim longer for survival by releasing underwater footage capturing polar bears swimming for extended periods. Longer swims for hunting can lead to significant energy depletion and lower survival rates for polar bears.
◇Bears rummaging through garbage cans in villages
Due to the decrease in sea ice, there has been an increase in cases of polar bears coming down to human settlements in search of food. According to the WWF, polar bears rummaging through garbage cans in villages have been frequently spotted in Greenland and Canada recently.
The WWF released a photo of a polar bear searching for food in urban areas. The photo taken in the Tobolski oil field region of Russia shows the polar bear wandering around human residences without finding prey. If this situation continues, the conflict between polar bears and humans may deepen, increasing the likelihood of a decline in the polar bear population.
The WWF noted that since 2015, it has been operating the 'polar bear patrol' in collaboration with Arctic residents to manage polar bears coming into villages and to prevent unnecessary hunting activities.
References
Commun Earth & Environment (2024), DOI: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01430-7