Arctic Animals Endangered By Climate Change
Barnacle geese pictured in the scientific base of Ny Alesund in the Svalbard archipelago.
Arctic animals endangered by climate change. Endangered species protections in 2012 due to climate change. The polar bear the walrus the Arctic fox and the beluga whale. Polar bears for example depend on summer sea ice to hunt seals.
B r a d l e y K l a p p e r i n G e n e v a. As Arctic sea ice vanishes bearded seals may vanish along with it. The survival of the polar bear is threatened by climate change.
The Arctic is warming at approximately twice the speed of the global average which is shrinking. Climate change may also be altering the currents and nutrient cycling in some parts of the bearded seals range which may be affecting the abundance of the fish and shellfish the species preys upon. As the Earth heats up and the ice disappears scientists estimate that two-thirds of polar bears could be wiped out by 2050.
Animals in the Arctic including reindeer and golden eagles are migrating earlier due to climate change say researchers who have gathered a huge amount of data to study the behaviour of 86. Today climate change is the biggest threat facing the Arctic and its wildlife. Without urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions the world will continue to feel the effects of a warming Arctic.
Four whales gray beluga bowhead and narwhal. In addition to increased rates of disease and degraded habitats climate change is also causing changes in species themselves which threaten their survival. Climate change is driving polar bears from the safety of sea ice and on to hazardous dry land and into more conflict with humans.
This article is more than 15 years old. Mon 31 Jan 2005 1044 EST. Arctic animals cope with climate change.