Surprisingly, in the Barents Sea region where sea ice retreat has been particularly rapid and extensive over the last decade, polar bears have demonstrated a remarkable degree of ecological flexibility. Few animal species have become as strongly associated with climate change as the polar bear. Images of bears stranded on small pieces of sea ice have, for decades, symbolized the rapid transformation of the Arctic. In many ways, this symbolism is justified. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are highly dependent on sea ice, and all populations across the Arctic have experienced substantial habitat loss in recent decades. Yet the scientific picture emerging from different Arctic regions is more complex than is assumed.
Author: Jon AARS for POLAR WATCH.
This text has originally been published on the Cercle Polaire website.
The French version is available here.
