The polar bear is an example of a superbly adapted top predator. The world’s largest land carnivore is perfectly adapted to life on the Arctic ice cap. They are superbly insulated due to their double-layered fur and thick layer of blubber. They have similar hearing to humans, but their sense of smell is phenomenal, with the ability to smell a seal a mile away, even when buried up to 3 feet in snow. Their paws are full of small bumps, and their claws are shorter than those of other types of bears, providing excellent traction when walking on ice.

Then there’s his swimming ability. When hunting on ice, it pays to know how to swim, and the polar bear is an excellent swimmer. So good, in fact, that there have been reports of them swimming in open Arctic water up to 200 miles from land.

a future here

But this magnificent animal is under serious threat and in very real danger of extinction, with research suggesting that by 2050 two-thirds of the world’s polar bears will be gone.

The polar bear does most of its hunting in the spring and early summer months when they roam the sea ice. However, climate change is causing them to freeze later in the winter and melt earlier the following spring. Therefore, the bears have to go longer without eating, and this is having a dramatic effect on their body weight and fitness. It all makes it harder for them to hunt and survive.

Decreasing sea ice drives bears ashore and when they are hungry they are more likely to come into conflict with the increasing numbers of humans in arctic areas and are always likely to fare worse off in the long run.

Act now before it’s too late

The situation for the polar bear is certainly difficult, but by addressing climate change we can help restore the natural cycle of sea ice and provide polar bears with the hunting grounds on which they depend. But it is necessary to act now before it is too late.

Action is needed to tackle the problem head on and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This requires extensive research and campaigns. Even the UK Committee on Climate Change has concluded that the climate targets are achievable, but the government must act quickly. adopt a polar bear today