Polar Bears are one of the most iconic animals in the world.
They stand out and are instantly recognizable with their fluffy white fur and charcoal-like nose. These cute animals also stand out and are unmistakable through their powerful presence.
They are only found in the Northern Hemisphere, within the Arctic Circle. They are found living within only a small number of countries in the world.
These countries include Canada and Russia.
Polar Bears also live in some other places in the world; like Alaska and Greenland.
But, in the future, Polar Bears could disappear from places like this.
Today, Polar Bears are classified as being vulnerable to extinction. And now there is a risk that these could be either extinct or mostly extinct, within a few decades.
A New Study Into Polar Bears
A new study has been published about Polar Bears and their potential future here on planet Earth.
The study is from Nature Climate Change and is called 'Fasting season length sets temporal limits for global polar bear persistence'. The study talks about how sea ice decline could lead to a decline in Polar Bears and the animal's potential extinction within the next few decades.
It says that Polar Bears will continue to decline due to both sea ice loss and global warming. If Polar Bears lose sea ice, it will mean that they cannot hunt for their main source of food: which is Seals. Therefore, sea ice is of critical importance to the survival of Polar Bears.
The study presents the case for what is likely to happen to Polar Bears if sea ice loss and high greenhouse gas emissions persist, as well as a decline in reproduction rates for Polar Bears. If these things persist, then the study says that Polar Bears will be mostly wiped out by 2100.
It doesn't say that all Polar Bears will be gone by that point, as it also says that 'a few high Arctic-subpopulations' will exist by 2100.
This seems to suggest that pockets of Polar Bears may be existing by that point.
You can read the full study - here.
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