The polar bears are eating themselves.
…well, technically, they’re actually eating each other.
The good folks at PlanetSave have a quick article up on the state of the polar bear, particularly Sarah Palin’s reticence to believe that the species is really threatened.
Well, guess what, Mrs. Governor?
CNN reported today that, due to the increasing scarcity of food and sea ice, polar bears are being driven to desperate lengths, up to and including cannibalizing one another.
Where I come from, cannibalism is a sign that something is seriously wrong, so I guess we’ll wait and see if Palin changes her tune, or just keeps on toeing the oil companies’ party line.
The most interesting thing to come out of this whole polar bear situation, though, is the debate over rescue vs. prevention and protection vs recovery. It could be a whole new world for species management, or the science community could get another slap-in-the-face from the government. I’ll weigh in on that one soon.
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Palin sucks the oil industry
So did this male polar bear eat the female polar bear or just kill it; which would seem to be appropriate if you were trying to reduce the competition for seals. But that was in 2004. So what is the murder rate up to these days (among polar bears)?
John - great question. The article indicated there were “increasing reports of starving Arctic polar bears attacking and feeding on one another in recent years.”
However, like you, I find that statement unsatisfying - I’ve contacted the best authorities I can think of and you can check back here for your answer. - Jeff
Thanks for broadening this issues range. Global Warming and it’s effects on Arctic Sea Ice is an important one. The fact that the media is using the Polar Bear as a talking point is great, because the Polar Bear is something that people can relate to.
The larger problem of melting sea ice covers such a broad range of topics that it’s impossible to mention them all here, but the even bigger picture is that there are 5 strategic threats to our Global Water System, and this is just one of them.
Keep up the good fight and Alter the Eco,
Adam Shake
–UPDATE– 9/30
Kassie Siegel, the staff attorney from the Center for Biological Diversity who was quoted in the CNN article, has replied with very helpful information about this situation.
She quotes from Amstrup et. al. 2006:
“During 24 years of research on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea
region of northern Alaska and 34 years in northwestern Canada, we have not
seen other incidents of polar bears stalking, killing, and eating other
polar bears. We hypothesize that nutritional stresses related to the longer
ice-free seasons that have occurred in the Beaufort Sea in recent years may
have led to the cannibalism incidents we observed in 2004.”
And said:
“So I think its absolutely correct to say that there are increasing reports,
since before the ice started retreating dramatically, there had never been
any reports of such behavior.”
I hope that clears up any confusion, John. The papers show a very disturbing situation emerging up in the arctic. Thanks are due to Ms. Siegel for her help.
I think it would be JUSTICE to see a POLAR BEAR EAT SARA PALIN!!!
Hi Jeff, I’m writing a speech about how ‘polar bears are becoming cannibals’ for Polar Bears International and I have quoted your line “cannibalism is a sign that something is seriously wrong”. I was just wondering if you minded, and if I could have your last name so I can mention that I quoted it from you.
Please write back as soon as possible.
Kind Regards, Kaley.
i believe that polar bears are the most georgeus animals in the world and that they deserve to live just as well as we do!!!!
they are so big and majestic/……
i believe taht we can help save the polar bears… if yalll wanna help me…. e mail me @ mistybriebaby@yahoo.com
thanks
every person counts…… k ow please e mail me!
thanks misty