Polar bears, which depend on seasonal sea ice which they use as a platform to hunt mammals after their summer fast, are declining in number really fast. There are less than 25,000 polar bears left and its population will decline by 30% by 2050 due to the loss of their habitat. The amount of sea ice at its lowest point each year has shrunk at a rate of 14% per decade.  Thus, annual ice-free periods of five months will spread hunger among polar

The ice is freezing later in the fall, but its is the earlier spring ice melt that is especially difficult for the bears since they have a narrower timeframe in which to hunt during the critical season when the seal pups are born. That has direct impact on the average bears weight, which has dropped 15% causing reproduction rates to decline. Also, remaining ice is farther from shore making it less accessible. These larger gaps of open water make the bears’ swim more hazardous

The shrinking polar ice cap will also cause a decline of seals. Thus, polar bears are started to display cannibalistic behavior due to longer periods of hunger, instead of killing others for dominance or so they can breed with the female.

However, warming temperatures are not the only threat polar bears face; human invasion, pollution and resource exploitation add to this negative spiral.We should start taking action before it is too late to help prevent potentially catastrophic consequences.

References:

• Neslen, A. (2015, November 18). Climate change is ‘single biggest threat’ to polar bear survival. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/19/climate-change-is-single-biggest-threat-to-polar-bear-survival
• Global Warming and Polar Bears – National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx
• Becker, R. (2015, September 4). 4 Ways Polar Bears Are Dealing With Climate Change. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/150904-polar-bears-dolphins-seals-climate-change/