Olympics Hope to Increase Knowledge about the Polar Bear

Many environmental activists have opposed the Olympics for the role they claim it plays in environmental degradation, release of carbon emissions through the construction process and the displacement of animals from their habitat. Whether you’re of this viewpoint or not, you will be happy to know that the Olympics hopes to bring environmental benefits by increasing the world’s knowledge about climate change in Northern areas of Canada and the impact upon the polar bear.

The Olympic Torch will be journeying through areas of Northern Canada right at the height of polar bear season, and while all eyes will be on the Torch, even Olympic officials are saying that they hope those tuning in will shift their focus to the Northern environment and start questioning how climate change impacts the biodiversity in the province of Manitoba.

As the Olympic Torch passed through Churchill, Manitoba on Sunday, an area with a greater population of polar bears than virtually any other arctic climate greater awareness was brought to the impact of climate change on the area and the harm being caused to a species that throughout evolution, adapted to thrive in North America’s coldest climate.  According to Actionbioscience, the following aspects of climate change play a role in the well-being of the polar bear population, resulting in a decline:

• decline in maximum extent of sea ice in winter of about 1.5% per decade
• loss of multiyear ice (permanent polar pack ice), which is declining about 10% per decade
• increase in amount of open water
• shortening of the period of ice cover and lengthening of the open water period
• increase in the rate of ice drift

As a result of climate change, the population of killer whales is increasing overtime in the Canadian arctic, which can lead polar bears to lose their rightful place at the top of the food chain. The polar bear population is also declining in size due to changes in their reproductive habits that can be attributed to the changing climate. A decline of ice levels and an increase in the amount of open water can also alter their hunting patterns, and generally, cause them to change in weight and size.

While the Inuit populations living in the North claim the polar bears aren’t at risk, climate change is a very real measurable issue, and as the local ecosystem changes, all species will be impacted; and that’s something to pay attention to.

Via: CTV

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