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Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears

Introduction

Currently, economic activities are more active in developing countries such as china, Brazil and India among others. Most of these developing nations do not seem concerned about environmental issue; as a result, there is increased amount of emission from the earth. For example, the China has about 300 million automobiles, and the growth rate for the automobiles is more than 20 million a year. This is a clear indication of how the earth faces immense pressure; a clear indication that globalization causes climate change (Rode et al., 12). Global warming has hit the earth hard causing catastrophic effects to the earth. Most scholars’ think that the polar bears are the worth affected animals in the world. Because the earth is turning warmer each day, the sea ice also shrinks rapidly. As a result, polar bears are threatened by the changes. Most vital thing to mention is that if climate change were not maintained, polar bears extinction would be expected soon. This paper focuses on the effects of climate change on the polar bears.’The first impact of climate change on the polar bears is their habitat. Habitat is a place that offers the animals’ food, shelter, and other essential materials for survival. In the arctic, the polar bears’ habitat is being destroyed because of food and sea ice shortage. The first evident change is the temperature increase in the Arctic region. The key threat of polar bear survival is environmental in nature. According to a study taken by the Canadian Wildlife service, climate is threatening the life of polar bears due to starvation caused by limited hunting season. Due to climate change, the level of sea ice is shrinking hence affecting the bears hunting grounds. The ice is breaking earlier, therefore, reduces the hunting time (Slocum 23). It has been noted that the weight of both male and female polar bears have reduced from 500kg to 350 kg, and 450 kg to 300kgs respectively as well as the number of cubs have declined from normal four to as less as one. If climate change persists in this nature, it is said that the arctic cap will disappear by 2050. The ice cap melting poses a threat to polar bears and their cubs (Christine M., et al. 36). It is expected that the white polar bears will migrate and compete with their sisters (brown bears). When the worst comes to the worst, the polar bears must swim long distances to get food. There is sex drive and ability to reproduce will be affected.The bears hunt from the ice using a variety of methods or techniques, depending on the habitat and the season. There has been one record instance of a bear capturing a seal in open water, but the chances of this behavior appear rare because the sea ice is shrinking at a very fast rate. If climate change occurs, the first impact is the break up and later freeze up that extends the open water season in fall and summer hence reduce the amount of time the polar bears can use for hunting. In James and Hudson bays, all the polar bears spend about four months of the year fasting on their accumulated or stored fats. Pregnant females fast for eight months. Over the last three years, estimates have indicated that the size of polar bears population in Hudson Bay has reduced by 78%, but changes each week since global warming tends to hit the regions harder than usual. The average weight of the polar bears has significantly reduced in the 21st century as compared to the 19th and 20th century, reflecting in reduced cub survival and lower reproduction rates. The data suggests that if the condition of females decline further due to climatic warming the population of the bears will decline rapidly. An analysis of sea ice anomalies in Hudson bay from 1998 to 2008 indicates that adequate variability of that a continuous trend might be related with climate changes is noted. It explains the reasons why polar bears in the region have decreased in number as well as in size.According to Derocher and Stirling (21), the loss of sea ice one of the major habitats of polar bears has negative effects on their long-term survival. Polar bears depend on the sea ice to hunt seals and fish and gather enough energy to survive periods where their prey is not available. Decreased access to the weaned seals is due to climate-propelled timing of spring ice breakups that lead to increased bear fasting periods, limited access to denting areas, smaller and fewer cubs, and decreased rates of survival.Scientists and other climatologists have reached to a conclusion that climate change is occuring and have come up with predictive models for various impacts such as how it affects the duration of season ice. The impacts are notable in the arctic environmental; home for polar bears. The coverage of perennial sea ice in the region has decreased since 1980 at an average rate of 20% per decade. According to Hunter et al., (209) the summer ice coverage sets new record in 2006 and 2008 having the second lowest on record. They combined environmental dependent and deterministic matrix from intergovernmental organizations on climate change to determine the effects of reduced sea ice to polar bears population. They concluded that the decreased level of ice has affected the bears extensively and if the conditions persist in the current trend they bear extinction is expected soon.The decreased duration of seasonal ice has negative effects across multiple life stages of the bears, corresponding vital and demographic rates. According to Molnár, Péter K., et al. (56), the use of multi-scale models to determine the possible connection between life stage survival rates and sea ice extent on polar bears was undertaken. Results from the study indicate that there exist a correction between sea ice level and polar bear survival. According to the researcher, the level of sea ice offers enough or considerable time for the bears to have sufficient food and a decrease in the sea ice means starving of the animals that later leads to their population decline. Molnár, Péter K., et al. (45) further indicates that polar bears are currently faced with increased nutritional stress associated with ice habitats. The extended ice-free condition caused by climatic changes corresponds with ineffective and unusual foraging techniques with likelihood of starvation and cannibalism.The urge to list the polar bears under the ESA (Endangered Species Act) can be well understood by determining the relationship between the duration of survival and that of fasting. A research by Durner, George M., et al. (67), used an individual dynamic energy model to investigate the relationship between fasting period and survival of bears in Arctic Circle. The results indicated that the fasting periods extending to 200 days would lead to 40% death rate of adult male polar bears as opposed 7% death rate in 100 days fasting period. The author also indicated that changes in the probability of polar bear mating is affected. The success rate of getting a partner has declined from 99% to 70%. This indicates that the number of polar bears will be reduced in the next three decades since the mating patterns have been interfered with as well as the rate of getting a partner is becoming rare.RecommendationsThe issue or concern of polar bears is unique in that it faces the problem of habitat loss as opposed to being a localized dilemma. Ecologist currently is constantly looking at climate changes as the only factor to the status of the polar bears in the world. The polar bear is different in that global warming is the primary cause for the animals predicted demise. The listing of the animal is vital since it could set as a precedent of other factors such a tourism, which threatens the livelihood of the polar bears. Listing the polar bears, as endangered species could be the right steps to curbing the problem that faces them in addition, it acts as a guide to similar animals affected by climatic changes evident in the globe.The controversy facing the polar bear issue is whether there is tangible or sufficient evidence to show the relationship between the length of seasonal sea ice, global warming and demise of polar bears. Dawson, Jackie, et al (60), various climate scientists think that the reduced level of ice in the polar regions would lead to extinction of bears within a mere decade. However, conclusive evidence supporting the alternate hypothesis that climate changes are affecting the level of sea ice in the Polar Regions hence the polar bears calling for fast policy decisions to be taken to save these animals. Record minimal lows of summer ice in 2006 and 2010 have caused enough alarm to formulate and implement policy changes needed. Immediate policy changes should be implemented to effect positive change in climate. In addition, it is the due obligation of the human being to shy away from bad habits that cause global warming and to follow multi-national steps taken to save polar bears.Realistic approach should be considered such as the introduction of made-conditions that can be used to keep various polar bears as steps to maintain their polar climate is underway. The step is to ensure that these animals are not lost. The sample taken may be used in the future to reproduce, thanks to Canadian government, which has already taken this step.ConclusionThe issue or concern about polar bears has gone beyond the question whether or not the polar bears should be listed to individual efforts. Human efforts should be mobilized to foster change towards saving the environment. Polar bears have only the Arctic regions to survive as compared to human that we variety of continents to run. Therefore, the above recommendations as well as the impacts or effects evident should drive policy change to save polar bears from extinction. The first steps towards climate change start from household environmental actions.

Works Cited

Dawson, Jackie, et al. “The carbon cost of polar bear viewing tourism in Churchill, Canada.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism 18.3 (2010): 319-336.

Derocher, Andrew E., Nicholas J. Lunn, and Ian Stirling. “Polar bears in a warming climate.” Integrative and Comparative Biology 44.2 (2004): 163-176.

Durner, George M., et al. “Predicting 21st-century polar bear habitat distribution from global climate models.” Ecological Monographs 79.1 (2009): 25-58.

Hunter, Christine M., et al. “Climate change threatens polar bear populations: a stochastic demographic analysis.” Ecology 91.10 (2010): 2883-2897.

Molnár, Péter K., et al. “Predicting survival, reproduction, and abundance of polar bears under climate change.” Biological Conservation 143.7 (2010): 1612-1622.

Rode, Karyn D., Steven C. Amstrup, and Eric V. Regehr. “Reduced body size and cub recruitment in polar bears associated with sea ice decline.” Ecological Applications 20.3 (2010): 768-782.

Slocum, Rachel. “Polar bears and energy-efficient lightbulbs: strategies to bring climate change home.” Environment and Planning D 22 (2004): 413-438.

Stirling, Ian, and Andrew E. Derocher. “Effects of climate warming on polar bears: a review of the evidence.” Global Change Biology 18.9 (2012): 2694-2706.