Polar bears in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago are gaining weight despite the loss of sea ice, a situation that has scientists concerned about the future. The northern Barents Sea is warming much faster than the global average, causing sea ice to disappear. This has made it harder for bears to find food, as they must now swim longer distances between hunting areas and birthing sites.
Since 2000, the average size and weight of Svalbard’s polar bears have increased, surprising researcher Jon Aars from the Norwegian Polar Institute. He notes that while this is positive news, other regions where bears are under severe threat from climate change have much stronger evidence of decline.
Polar bears are spread across twenty populations in the Arctic. Some populations are declining in parts of Alaska and Canada, while others seem stable or even growing. Notably, the Barents Sea population, estimated to have between 1,900 and 3,600 bears, appears stable.
Aars and his team studied 770 bears and found their physical condition improved after 2000. The shrinking sea ice may be helping bears find food more easily, as they hunt seals and exploit new food sources like eggs and reindeer.
However, scientists warn that if sea ice keeps disappearing, it will be very difficult for polar bears to survive in the long term. Aars predicts there will be a limit to how many bears Svalbard can support without adequate ice.
Vocabulary List:
- Archipelago /ˌɑːrkɪˈpɛləˌɡoʊ/ (noun): A group of islands.
- Severe /səˈvɪr/ (adjective): Very great; intense.
- Exploiting /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪŋ/ (verb): Making full use of and benefiting from a resource.
- Condition /kənˈdɪʃən/ (noun): The state of something especially regarding its appearance quality or working order.
- Population /ˌpɑːpjəˈleɪʃən/ (noun): All the inhabitants of a particular town area or country.
- Predicts /prɪˈdɪkt/ (verb): Says what will happen in the future based on information or evidence.
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