We have been told time, and again how global warming is impacting so badly on the human race but in all fair argument, it is not as big of injustice against us for we are partly to blame for the problem. The actual injustice is that against the animals, who have no part to play in this global trend but are still being affected most by it. The real victims in the problem of global warming amongst others are also the polar bears that inhabit the Polar Regions.
Why do we worry about these polar bears? The answer is simple; because they are very important to the environment. These polar bears have remained a very important part of the Arctic culture and tourists from all over the world have been coming for glimpses of this culture, which is why it is important that the culture is sustained. Also, since these polar bears fall on top of the food chain, their existence is crucial for the marine environment.
With all of the trends that have been underway, there has arisen controversy over whether the polar bears are in fact endangered or if we are letting our imagination getting ahead of ourselves. Where are these people coming from? We ask. There is a general consensus over the number of polar bears that exist in the present day to be between 20,000 and 25,000 and we also agree on the fact that the population of these polar bears is bigger than it was 40 years from today.
There is a lot of evidence that in fact points us towards the dangers of extinction. The rise in temperatures and the melting of the polar ice are amongst the many concerns we are seeing arise as a consequence of climate change, and these two factors are gravely endangering the habits and the wellbeing of the polar bears that live. One problem for these polar bears is that when the weather gets too warm in the winters, it results in the collapsing of the dens that females build to give birth to and protect their children, which leaves them without habitats in the summer season. Yet another worry; the temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as it is in the rest of the world and tends state that the surface of the sea covered with ice is declining at the rate of four percent per decade. The effect of this is that these polar bears are facing difficulty finding food for they use this ice cover to feed on the ringed seals which they find at the edge of the ice cover. Because this ice retreats earlier in the spring and forms later in the autumn, these polar bears are left with less time to hunt for their food.
The pollution of the arctic water is also quite likely to affect the survival of these polar bears. Research studies that have deliberated the impacts of pollution on these polar bears says that the organic pollutants are entering these polar bears at speedy rate because of a high-fat diet. These studies also reveal that these pollutants impact the endocrine systems of these polar bears, their immune systems and also their reproductive health in an adverse manner (Andrew E. Derocher).
Here are yet a few more reasons which support the scientist’s theories that fear extinction for these polar bears. We have already suffered a great loss in our polar bears back in 1800 when many of these polar bears were unfortunate enough to be victimized by harvesting following which, there was a steady decline in their numbers. Even though the restriction on hunting has increased these numbers, we have not yet recovered to the population that used to exist prior to the hunting. Another worry is that the cubs that exist are not in the best of health. Research reveals that what few bears that exist are becoming leaner and fewer cubs are being born and are surviving.
What evidence we have at hand is plenty to convince us of the dangers that these polar bears may be facing, and all of this evidence calls us to action. We can be only as better off as we are timely in listening to the true meaning of where all of our research points us. Let’s save time and stop debating. It is time to do something now.
Works Cited
Andrew E. Derocher, Nicholas J. Lunn and Ian Stirling. "Polar Bears in a Warming Climate." INTEGR. COMP. BIOL (2004): 163-176.
Palmer, Jane. Behind the controversy, what's the real story about the future of polar bears? 5 November 2014. <http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141107-will-polar-bears-become-extinct>.
Pidcock, Roz. Polar bears and climate change: What does the science say? 04 March 2015. <http://www.carbonbrief.org/polar-bears-and-climate-change-what-does-the-science-say>.
Ungar, Zac. Are Polar Bears Really Disappearing? 08 February 2013. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323452204578288343627282034>.
WWF. Why they matter. n.d. 08 March 2016 <http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear>.
