Each year, on February 27th, we celebrate International Polar Bear Day. Established by Polar Bears International, an organisation dedicated to protecting polar bears and the sea ice they depend on, this day aims to raise awareness about the challenges these magnificent animals face and the reason behind their decline.
The Threatened Status of Polar Bears
On May 15, 2008, the polar bear was listed as threatened (including all 7 classifications of Polar Bears) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It was assigned this designation due to the fact that is likely to become endangered in the future. [1] Current estimates put the global population of polar bears between 20,000 and 31,000. Despite the encouraging rebound of some populations, there is little evidence to suggest polar bears are thriving at all. [2] Polar bears are one of the 87 animals listed that have a 50% chance of becoming extinct by 2025, others include: [3]
- Amur Leopard
- Asian Elephant
- Red Panda
- Koala
- Whale Sharks
- Bumblebees
- Mountain Gorillas
- Florida Manatee
The IUCN Red List and Extinction Risks
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List details the conservation status of all endangered species in the world, including plants, fungi and animals, with a shocking 40,000 or more species on the list currently threatened with extinction. The most common reasons for extinction of a species are down to climate change, global warming, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, volcanism and humans hunting specific species to the point of near extinction.
Global Warming and Its Impact on Polar Bears
Like many of the species on the IUCN Red List, one of the main reasons that threatens the lives of polar bears is global warming. Polar bears spend most of their lives on the ice, sleeping, hunting, mating, raising their young. With Earth’s temperature rising year on year, the ice caps are melting, leaving less and less ice for the polar bears to thrive on. Although they can swim constantly for days at a time, they need to be able to resurface on the ice as they can hunt better on ice than in the sea. They are able to smell their prey from up to 32km away, although less than 2% of all polar bear hunts are successful, meaning that finding food on the remaining ice is a massive challenge. According to NASA, the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate of 9% per decade.
Polar Bear Populations in Captivity
As of 2022, there are at least 300 polar bears in captivity around the world at zoos, aquariums and parks. Canada is home to two thirds of the polar bear global population and are committed to the conservation of this incredible species, where polar bears are protected through a collaborative approach that is shared with provinces, territories and regional wildlife management boards.
Figure 1: Image of a polar bear.[4]
Fun Facts About Polar Bears
International polar bear day was set up to raise awareness about the creatures and the threats that risk the continuity of their species, particularly climate change and global warming. In honour of polar bears, here are some fun facts about this majestic species:
- A polar bears skin is actually black,
- The polar bear’s coat has no white pigment; in fact, a polar bear’s skin is black, and its hairs are hollow,
- Their paws can reach up to 12 inches in diameter,
- They are the only bears to be considered marine mammals,
- Pregnant polar bears have been known to fast for almost 8 months,
- They do not hibernate, but they love to nap for a few days at a time,
- Their nostrils close when they swim to prevent them from breathing in water,
- Polar bears can weigh more than 1,300 pounds and can span more than 8 feet 6 inches from nose to tail, making them the largest carnivores to currently walk the earth.
Working together to help reduce global warming could help save the lives of species such as the polar bear.
About Pager Power
Pager Power undertakes technical assessments for developers of renewable energy projects and tall buildings worldwide. For more information about what we do, please get in touch.
References
[1] https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=specialstatus.fedsummary&species=polarbear
[3] https://8billiontrees.com/animals/animals-that-will-be-extinct-by-2050/
[4] Image of a polar bear. Image accessed 14/01/2025. Photo credit: Pixabay. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-photography-of-white-polar-bear-53425/