How are polar bears affected by climate change?
Polar bears have evolved for a life on the sea ice, which they rely on for reaching their seal prey. But the arctic sea ice is rapidly diminishing due to a warming earth, affecting the entire arctic ecosystem, from copepods to seals to walruses. For polar bears, sea ice losses mean:
- Reduced access to food
- Drop in body condition
- Lower cub survival rates
- Increase in drowning
- Increase in cannibalism
- Loss of access to denning areas
Scientists predict that as the Arctic continues to warm, two-thirds of the world's polar bears could disappear within this century.
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/climate-change#Affect
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