Blog Action Day 2009 has got me thinking about Climate Change and my impending visit to the Arctic. For the past few years I have been visiting the Polar Bears of Churchill, Manitoba. They are the Southern-most population and they are being hit hard by the lack of sea ice. Polar Bears are excellent swimmers for sure but with the sea ice disappearing, there is no where for them to swim to... Additionally, the sea ice traditionally holds the sea in place in the Hudson Bay... without it the wind kicks up large waves that even the best swimmers can't fight. The ice that does form is forming later and breaking up earlier... cutting into the bears time limit to capture enough prey to make it through another season. Click here to view an amazing study of the sea ice and it's decline over recent years. Scientists are seeing a trend... bears are getting smaller... mothers are producing single cubs or none at all... One can't help but wonder how long this species has before they reach the tipping point. Here's hoping they can hang on while we get our act together.For more information on Polar Bears and how you can get involved visit Polar Bears International.
2 comments:
Hi, I just arrived here via the Blog Action Day website. Thank you for talking about the plight of the polar bears and for taking part in this day of action.
Thank you for the comments and for supporting the efforts of Blog Action Day! As individuals we may be as weak as a raindrop but UNITED we become as strong as a flash flood.
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