Polar Bears Face Increased Starvation Risk Due to Melting Arctic Ice

Recent studies show polar bears are losing weight and struggling to find food as climate change reduces sea ice, forcing them onto land for longer periods.

• Researchers equipped 20 polar bears in northern Canada with cameras, revealing significant weight loss due to reduced sea ice.
• Polar bears attempt to adapt by eating terrestrial foods and resting more, but these strategies fail to prevent weight loss.
• The ice-free season in western Hudson Bay has extended by three weeks since 1979, exacerbating the bears' plight.
• Scientists predict an additional five to ten days without sea ice per decade, further threatening polar bear survival.
• Conservation efforts are critical as polar bears face functional extinction due to climate change and habitat loss.

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