Show Date: April 26, 2006 
Pam Eastlick for THE DEEP on line

Polar Bears On Ice?

Welcome to The Deep science and technology column where we cover topics from the deep sea to deep space and beyond. Join us each week on Newstalk K57 on Wednesday night from 7 to 8 p.m. for exciting live science expeditions or listen live on our web site www.thedeepradioshow.com

It’s been in the news recently that polar bears; the world’s largest land-based carnivores are in big trouble. So what could threaten this top-drawer predator? Habitat destruction. And for the polar bear that habitat is ice.
To understand the dilemma of the polar bears you have to understand the difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic. The Earth’s south pole is covered by a huge continental land mass called Antarctica but the north pole is open ocean with no large land mass. This is critical to the polar bear’s dilemma since these large predators are ocean hunters and not land hunters. If a polar bear were transported to the south pole and tried to dig or break through the ice, he would only find land and no sea animals. The ice in the north pole gives the polar bear a much wider hunting ground and a surprise attack technique for the seals he lives on.

And the ice is the problem. The Arctic is thawing very rapidly. A report released on 9 November 2004, reveals dramatic changes at the North Pole. First, the report says that glaciers in the area are moving much slower than previously and there is rapid thinning of the ice. The ice cap in the Arctic Ocean is the smallest it has ever been in modern measurements. Studies in Sweden, Iceland and Russia also show that the tundra has begun to melt and become wetlands. This increase in vegetation cover is causing an increase in the production of methane gas and it also dramatically changes the environment for animals living in these areas. It changes the environment for people too. A 78-year old Inuit described the changes she has observed. She says there is no snow on the mountains anymore and the ocean ice lasts only until May when it was always frozen until July before. Sledding which lasted until July before, is no longer possible later than May. This seriously affects the ability of the natives to hunt.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the effects of climate change on Arctic wildlife. Caribou give birth at specific times and locations, making them susceptible to changes in weather and vegetation. Studies show that tundra plants are now blooming earlier than ever before and that the climate now has drier summers and heavier winter snow. Polar bears are coping with a 14% reduction in sea ice since the 1970s.

What does all this melting ice mean to the Arctic and surrounding areas? Join us this week on The Deep as we talk about the animals and people at the front lines of the battlefield of global warming. The Deep is broadcast on Newstalk K57 every Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. You can also listen live from our web site www.thedeepradioshow.com. Join Jim Sullivan, Pam Eastlick, and Peter Melyan on the deepest radio show on Earth.