Climate Change Threatens Polar Bears and Arctic Ecosystem

Scientists warn that without significant emission reductions, polar bears in Western Hudson Bay could disappear by the end of the century.

The Western Hudson Bay polar bear population has halved in 40 years, now numbering about 600.
Warmer waters and earlier sea ice melt are disrupting the Arctic marine ecosystem, affecting the entire food web.
Polar bears rely on high-fat seals for sustenance, but longer ice-free periods are leading to extended fasting and starvation.
Studies predict that if global temperatures rise another 1.3-1.4°C, this polar bear population will likely reach a point of no return.
The changing Arctic conditions are causing a shift from high-fat plankton species to lower-fat species, impacting various marine animals.