Causes such as climate change continue to threaten the future of our planet and living species. Although polar bears are not currently classified as endangered animals, they are among the animals that may disappear in the future due to habitat loss, pollution and many other reasons.
Now, there has been a very important development regarding these living species. According to a study published in the journal Science, scientists have discovered a ‘hidden’ population of polar bears that can survive in an apparently impossible habitat.
Polar bears that can live without sea ice discovered
Stating that the group was discovered in places devoid of sea ice , which is normally important for hunting, experts noted that these species have lived unnoticed for centuries. According to the explanations, bears live in fjords where glaciers meet the ocean. This suggests that at least some polar bears can survive on land glaciers.
Let’s unpack this a little more. Although polar bears are among the largest land predators in the world, they are among the marine mammals; because these animals mostly feed on aquatic creatures. This shows how important sea ice is for this species. But climate changes are shrinking the natural habitats of these animals by reducing the amount of sea ice available. For this reason, it is thought that polar bears may become extinct in the future.
According to the statements, the new group, defined as the 20th polar bear subpopulation, was discovered in the southeast of Greenland. The researchers said that this genetically diverse group includes about 300 polar bears and has been isolated from other populations for close to 200 years. In addition, the region where the group was discovered does not contain sea ice more than 250 days a year; In other words, it was reported that he could survive without this type of ice.
Discovery doesn’t change the fact that polar bears in general are endangered
Scientists think the group took advantage of pieces of ice that had broken off and spilled into the sea. In addition, the region has similar features to the sea ice estimates at the end of the 21st century; Therefore, it is stated that at least some of the species can provide important information for the future.
Kristine Laidre, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement about the discovery, “These glaciers may enable some polar bears to survive for a long time. However, this situation may not be suitable for the species in general,” he said, noting that the discovery may not help polar bears in a broader sense.
Although the new study reveals promising results about polar bears, experts still emphasize that these animals generally face great danger. “The loss of Arctic sea ice remains the primary threat to all polar bears,” Laidre said. This study does not change that” and draws attention to how serious the situation is.
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