Global Warming & Polar Bears Alex Cart TJ Poché

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Vulnerable 2 “Threatened” Hunted for a while Global warming is their new predator Malnutrition and habitat loss (both theirs and their preys)

Population’s Niche Arctic Circle Cold temperatures Cold water (mostly a marine animal) Snow ie; North Pole Population’s Niche 2

Diet 2 Land carnivore Top predators Mostly eat seals “Still-hunting”

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Polar Bear Symbionts Only one known symbiont Arctic foxes eat seal remains

The Delicate Art of Boinking! 4 courtship and mating take place on the sea ice in April and May males tracks females from up to 62 miles away have a generally polygynous mating system cases of litters in which cubs have different fathers stay together and mate repeatedly for an entire week 4 month gestational period (440lbs) mother dens and has 2 cubs

Population Decline 4 At the 2009 meeting of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group, scientists reported that of the 19 subpopulations* of polar bears: 8 are declining. 3 are stable. 1 is increasing. By comparison, in 2005: 5 were declining. 5 were stable. 2 were increasing. *Insufficient data to determine the fate of the other 7 populations

Controlling Population Growth 2 They don’t. They’re controlled by habitat loss

Adaptations for & against 4 For White Keen Smell Claws for grabbing Thick fur Thick fat Good swimmers Against Black Noses One main food source Poor niche choice

Fight The STRESS! Breed seals to increase viability Create an artificial habitat Drink more Coca-Cola ©

Future Success? Unless they change their main food source their species will not have future success Their habitat will continue to melt Seals will continue to die off

References nimals/creaturefeature/polar-bear/ 3. ears/home.html 4. bitat/wildlife/polar_bear.php