"The Arctic sea ice melt is a disaster for the polar bears," according to Kassie Siegel, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. "They are dependent on the Arctic sea ice for all of their essential behaviors, and as the ice melts and global warming transforms the Arctic, polar bears are starving, drowning, even resorting to cannibalism because they don't have access to their usual food sources."
Scientists have noticed increasing reports of starving Arctic polar bears attacking and feeding on one another in recent years. In one documented 2004 incident in northern Alaska, a male bear broke into a female's den and killed her.
Scientists have noticed increasing reports of starving Arctic polar bears attacking and feeding on one another in recent years. In one documented 2004 incident in northern Alaska, a male bear broke into a female's den and killed her.
how much of an immediate peril are we in? I do not downplay this issue, but CNN spreads terror like nutella.
Posted by: saramin | September 24, 2008 at 15:16
Who can afford Nutella these days?
Posted by: Ed Webb | September 24, 2008 at 20:41
Who can afford CNN?
Good question, saramin. The polar bears are certainly a media icon - focusing on their plight might well have been the climate change awareness tipping point. CNN does love its fearmongering.
But check out the Arctic methane release stories for actually fearsome stuff. Not that polar bears eating each other isn't scary.
-Bryan, just another armored bear
Posted by: Bryan Alexander | September 25, 2008 at 08:36
It's amazing how this report ignored the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works hearing from January 30, 2008 as well as the The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates.
Keeping the fear boosted keeps the money coming in, I suppose.
Posted by: peter naegele | September 25, 2008 at 09:47