Polar bears in Canada's Western Hudson Bay are dying at alarming rates, a new survey conducted by the government has found. The researchers, who aerially surveyed the Bay and its nearby town of Churchill which is also referred to as the 'Bear capital of the World', found there were only 618 bears left, compared to 842, five years ago when the bears were last counted. The survey also showed that there had been a significant decline in the population of adult female bears and cubs between 2011 and 2021.
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"The observed declines are consistent with long-standing predictions regarding the demographic effects of climate change on polar bears," the researchers said. The decline in the number of polar bears in the region has been going on for decades as since the 1980s the polar bear population has decreased by nearly 50 per cent which stood around 1,200 at the time.
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Citing hunting and displacement of bears to neighbouring regions as the factors responsible for the decline, the survey said that the biggest reason for the rapid fall in the polar bear's population is the melting of ice. The researches stated that as the sea ice in the far north is warming four times faster compared to the rest of the world. this has endangered the survival of the polar bear which now face an existential threat.
{{/usCountry}}Citing hunting and displacement of bears to neighbouring regions as the factors responsible for the decline, the survey said that the biggest reason for the rapid fall in the polar bear's population is the melting of ice. The researches stated that as the sea ice in the far north is warming four times faster compared to the rest of the world. this has endangered the survival of the polar bear which now face an existential threat.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the Paris accord said that it aims to keep average global temperatures from rising above two degrees Celsius.