Global Warming and Development... Polar Bears Facing Extinction Threat [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks Due to Global Warming
Decline in Polar Bear Population...Designated as Endangered Species
February 27th Marked as 'International Polar Bear Day' Annually
Environmental Groups Urge Energy Conservation to Protect Polar Bears

Polar bears driven to the brink of extinction.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Due to the effects of global warming, the Arctic sea ice is shrinking every year, and the indiscriminate development by humans is destroying habitats, threatening the survival of polar bears. As their living spaces diminish, polar bears are being pushed to the brink of extinction. Environmental organizations worldwide are urging governments to take strong measures against global warming to protect polar bears facing extinction.

With rapid climate change causing side effects such as rising sea levels and ocean acidification, the rate of sea ice melting in polar regions is accelerating annually. According to the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), the summer sea ice area in the Arctic Ocean has decreased by 40% over the past 25 years.

Vladimir Sokolov, a researcher involved in the study, analyzed, "Polar bears are expected to be unable to hunt on sea ice in the near future and will only be able to inhabit coastal areas or high-latitude archipelagos."

Due to habitat destruction caused by climate change, polar bears unable to find sufficient food are suffering daily from hunger, according to investigations.

In fact, footage has been captured showing polar bears clinging to garbage trucks as if begging for food. Russian broadcaster REN TV released a video on October 21 (local time) showing polar bears in a northern region of Russia.

In the video, several polar bears cling to a garbage truck as if begging for food. The garbage truck was broken down and stopped on the road, and the polar bears even crawled inside the truck.

A heartbreaking scene was captured of young polar bear siblings fighting over a black plastic bag, mistaking it for food. Jens Wikstrom, a Swedish Arctic explorer and photographer, posted a photo on his Instagram last September showing two polar bears biting a black plastic bag. He said, "On remote Arctic islands, curious young bears, Arctic foxes, and other predators often consume plastic materials," adding, "This sight is tragic."

Polar bears primarily hunt seals as prey. Sea ice is essential for hunting, but as sea ice decreases due to climate change, polar bears often go hungry. This has made it difficult for polar bears to raise their young, ultimately leading to a decline in the overall polar bear population.

A polar bear entering the village in search of prey. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Accordingly, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified polar bears as Vulnerable (VU) to extinction. VU means "species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild." According to the IUCN, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 polar bears currently live on Earth.

Research published in an international academic journal has suggested that polar bears could disappear from the Earth by the end of this century if the current trend continues.

Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada and the University of Washington in the United States published a study on July 20 (local time) in the international journal Nature Climate Change, reporting that the polar bear population is declining due to reduced sea ice caused by climate change, and if the current trend continues, polar bears will become extinct by the end of this century.

The researchers modeled the energy expenditure of polar bears and estimated their survival time based on this. They predicted that if humanity continues to emit greenhouse gases at the current rate without reduction efforts, polar bears will be extinct by 2100.

Developed countries are making various efforts to protect habitats of various flora and fauna, including polar bears. Russia, known as a representative polar bear habitat, recently designated an area more than ten times the size of Seoul as a nature reserve. The Russian Federal Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will directly manage the nature reserve, and all economic activities in this area will be prohibited. Previously, Russia also banned polar bear hunting since 1957 to protect them.

Meanwhile, the environmental organization Polar Bears International (PBI), located in California, USA, has designated February 27 every year as "International Polar Bear Day" and is leading efforts to protect polar bears. In an interview with a media outlet, PBI urged, "On this day, please pay attention to carbon emissions and participate in energy saving."