New research found that polar bears have metabolic rates 60 percent higher than scientists previously thought, polar bears require more food to survive their harsh Arctic environment than was previously known. Polar bears already face challenges due to the effects of climate change on natural habitats.
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And the new information means their ability to adapt to receding sea ice will become even more difficult.The polar bear’s diet is high in fat, supplied largely by hunting seals, but with less Arctic ice. Scientists worry that the bears will have to walk or swim greater and greater distances for food with each passing year.
In 2017, the world’s oceans reached their hottest temperatures on record. And since 2010, the Earth has experienced the five warmest years ever recorded. Over 77,000 square miles of winter sea ice have disappeared in the last 40 years.
That process takes them polar bears further and further away from land and there is likely to be a limit about the distance they can tolerate.Unfortunately, if global temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, the impact on the Arctic ecosystem will likely continue to making things worse for polar bears.
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