Bad News, Bears

Humans are notorious for trying out new diets. Polar Bears are less prone to feeding fads, but they are in the process of having what could be the most limiting diet plan thrust upon them. Cutting carbs? Limiting sugar? Decreasing portion size? The secret is actually limiting ice. Do that and the pounds just melt away. It turns out that the Ursus Maritimus is bearing the brunt of human-caused climate change. Less ice means a less extensive feeding season, so Polar Bears need to find ways to adapt, from eating new foods to expending less energy. “Scientists tracking 20 polar bears in Manitoba, below the Arctic Circle at the southern end of the animals’ range, found that the option the polar bears chose didn’t make much difference. Bears who foraged generally got just enough calories from their small meals to replenish the energy they spent finding them, but not enough to maintain their body mass.” NYT (Gift Article): Is That Polar Bear Getting Enough to Eat? “Scientists collected video from 20 bears during ice-free months to understand whether the animals can survive longer periods on land in a warming world.” (If people are behind the problem causing bears to be hungry, there’s a pretty obvious solution. But it’s less than appetizing for humans…)

+ Vox: Scientists strapped cameras to a bunch of polar bears. The footage is breathtaking — and alarming.

+ In the short term, Polar Bears looking for ice can always head towards the Northeast, where 46 million people are under winter alerts, schools have closed, flights have been delayed, and a key election is being challenged. But the eatin’ is good. Here’s the latest from NBC.