Polar Bears

Welcome to my blog about polar bears. I am here to inform you on why there is a need for concern regarding the species and how you may be able to help. 

First lets talk a little bit about polar bears. They are known as one of the largest bears in the world and the Arctic's top predator, polar bears are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. The polar bear's Latin name is Ursus maritimus which means sea bear. It's an appropriate name for these bears since much of their life is spent around oceans and sea ice.

Polar bears are located across the Arctic Ocean, in parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland. Majority of the polar bear population however is located in Canada. When it comes to the total population of polar bears there is a lot of unknowns so the estimated population is somewhere around 20,000.

In the ecosystem the polar bears are a part of they are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. They are the ones keeping the seals population in check.

The loss of sea ice habitat from climate change is the biggest threat to the survival of polar bears. Other concerns for polar bears include lethal response to human-polar bear conflict, toxic pollution in the environment, and direct impacts from industrial development. The video above shows a time-lapse of the arctic sea ice and how it has been declining over the years.

If we are to lose polar bears it would cause a cascading affect within the area. Since polar bears are the ones controlling the seal population without them the seal population would increase. This will threaten the crustacean and fish population in the area. these populations are an important food source for not only seals but other arctic wildlife as well as humans.

Luckily many governments see polar bears as threatened or vulnerable and have taken action to help prevent their decline. One of the current efforts is the Circumpolar Action Plan. It was adopted in 2015 with the goal to foster and strengthen international cooperation in polar bear conservation. Some of the objectives of this plan are to minimize threats to polar bears and their habitats, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and managing human-bear interactions for the safety of both parties.

I believe geography plays a major role here since the polar bears environment is constantly changing being able to monitor it is important. we can use geospatial tools like satellite imaging and geographic information systems. Using these we can monitor the sea ice and see how its changes similarly to the earlier video.

If you wish to help polar bears there is a few things you can do. You can get involved in any community projects that aim to reduce or replace fossil fuels. Take a look at your carbon footprint maybe there are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to help the planet and in turn help the polar bears. You can donate to a charity thats dedicated to polar bear conservation. You can even do a symbolic adoption of a polar bear which is another fun way of donating to the effort. The simplest thing you can do to help is talk about it. Talking about the issue can help make it known to others and increase conservation efforts.