In the winter of 2020, Inuit hunters in Canada’s Central Arctic came across the frozen carcasses of 11 beached bowhead whales, enormous marine mammals that have made a slow but steady comeback since they were driven to the brink of extinction by late 19th and early 20th century whalers. Unsure of what killed the whales, […]
Tag: Polar Bear
Man ‘Leapt Onto’ Polar Bear to Save Wife
Aman in Canada has been hospitalized after trying to save his wife from an attacking polar bear. The man, who lives with his wife and two dogs in Fort Severn First Nation in northern Ontario, received “serious injuries to his arm and legs” during his heroic efforts. The bear attacked at around 5 a.m. local […]
As polar ice caps melt, how are ‘Christmas animals’ faring?
Between snowy winters and holiday songs, many animals come to mind during Christmas. There are polar bears wearing Santa hats and red-nosed reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. Turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree are also immortalized in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” But climate change and habitat loss are taking a […]
Arctic Animals Face Growing Disease Threats as Climate Warms
Karyn Rode, a seasoned research wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center, emphasizes the polar bear‘s role as a bellwether for broader ecological shifts. “Pathogens’ transmission pathways are changing, including in the Arctic,” Rode notes, highlighting the rapid environmental transformations underway. The region is warming at a pace four times the global […]
Polar bears are back in Britain. But should they really be living here?
A small boy calls out the sights as the train speeds through the Suffolk countryside from London Liverpool Street. “Tractor. Church. Pigs. Polar bear! Dad! A polar bear!” The dad doesn’t glance up. “We don’t have polar bears in this country.” But the boy isn’t dreaming. There they are: four polar bears lumbering across a […]
Polar bears are suffering paw injuries likely driven by the warming Arctic: Study
At least two populations of polar bears in the high Arctic are developing paw injuries, possibly because of shifting sea ice conditions in a warming environment, according to a new study. Such injuries have not been reported in these areas previously, the study’s authors write. What the study says Between 2012 and 2022, researchers studied […]
“It is no exaggeration to say that what happens in the next five years will determine the future of life on Earth,” new WWF report warns
Wildlife in crisis is a wake-up call for humanity. The World Wide Fund for Nature’s biennial Living Planet Report, released today, paints a dire picture of the planet’s health. The latest WWF report, A System in Peril, reveals a shocking 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020. This catastrophic loss over a […]
Inspired by nature – 6 times biomimicry has transformed outdoor gear
Recently, I traveled to the Swiss Alps with the outdoor brand Columbia to test out their newest technology. Omni-Heat Arctic is an insulating technology that is inspired by how a polar bear‘s fur works to keep it warm in frigid arctic conditions. Though polar bears appear white, they actually have heat-absorbing black skin and two […]