Plight of the Polar Bears

In the article “Polar Bears in Peril” by Elizabeth Winchester, I learned about the polar bears and their environmental situation.

When you hear the name polar bear, you probably think the cute white bears from up north, but have you ever thought about their environment, or the tough conditions they are facing? Where they are, the temperature falls down to -30o F! Luckily, polar bears have thick fur, huge paws, and more features that help make this environment livable for them. But large pieces of summer sea ice that they need are melting. Who can we thank for that, A: spicy food, B: Too much hot coffee, or C: Climate change? (Spoiler alert: answer C!) If the warming patterns continue, experts say the Arctic will be cleaned out of summer sea ice by 2050!! The loss of two thirds of the 20,000 polar bears will be the result.

Sea ice is forming later in the year and melting earlier, therefore the polar bears don’t have enough time to hunt and eat. The decrease in sea ice makes it harder for them to catch seals. Now the bears have to travel increased distances between ice packs and the polar bears don’t always survive the trip. Ice is getting thinner. These conditions cause polar bear mothers and cubs to be separated. Without their mom who provides their food, the cubs will die.
The less snow and ice there is far north, the warmer the planet becomes! Steven Amstrup, the chief scientist of Polar Bears International says, “The more people who see polar bears and understand their plight, the better the chance we’ll alter our warming path in time to save them,” Few people have the opportunity to see these beautiful animals in the wild, that’s when zoos save the day. Jeffery Bonner, the president of the St. Louis Zoo is working with zoos and aquariums across the country to save the polar bears from extinction. For example, The St. Louis Zoo is planning a $20 million dollar polar bear exhibit due in 2017!

As you can see, the polar bears need help and we need to aid them. I think it is important to protect bears because if bears die out, the food chain would fall apart. (Theoretically speaking.)