Published 17:35 IST, July 21st 2020
Study suggests polar bears could face extinction by 2100 due to climate change
Polar bears are heading towards extinction. According to reports, greenhouse emissions leading to the loss of habitat for the species.
According to a study by the scientists, it is envisioned that polar bears are likely to vanish if greenhouse gas emissions continue to stay the same way. They have predicted where and how the polar bears will vanish. However, few species of polar bears in the Arctic will be gone by 2100, reports suggest.
Polar bears head towards extinction
As per a story published in Nature Climate Change, in the year 2040, it is highly likely that many polar bears will begin to develop problems pertaining to reproductive failures, further contributing to their extinction. The study investigates how the two types of greenhouse gas emissions can contribute to the extinction of polar bears. Study suggest that there are less than 26,000 polar bears left, spread out across 19 different regions. As per researchers, polar bears will only remain in the Queen Elizabeth Islands, which is the northernmost cluster in Canada’s Arctic group of islands by the end of the century. This will be due to the business-as-usual emissions scenario. Even if greenhouse emissions are regulated, polar bears are likely to become extinct in the Arctic circle by 2080.
Peter Molnar, a biologist at the University of Toronto said, it has been clear for some time that Polar bears will suffer the damage created by greenhouse emissions. However, what was unclear was the time and reason of their extinction. Nobody knew whether it would happen early or late in the century. He added, even if emissions are regulated, the population would become extinct in a few parts before the end of the century. These areas include, Hudson Bay, Davis Strait, and southern Hudson Bay.
To reach out on a conclusion as to when the polar bears will reach their critical physiological limit, Molnar along with his colleagues, regulated their weights and modelled the animal’s energy use. The aim was to come to the threshold number of days they can fast for. Chief Scientist for Polar Bears International and a co-author of the study, Steven Amstrup, said that these projections are on the conservative side. He further added, the models might have a better body condition of the bears at the beginning of the fasting period.
Polar bears are the species which can only be saved if the habitat is protected. The process of saving the habitat involves regulation of climate change, which is happening at a very fast pace. Amstrup said, people need to understand the seriousness of the issue and start working on it.
(Image Credits: Unsplash)
Updated 17:35 IST, July 21st 2020