Inuit: Bears ‘Catch Seals Even If The Ice Is Really Thin’
Scientists: ‘Unlikely Polar Bears Are At Risk From AGW’
Image source: York et al., 2016, Journal of Ecology and Evolution.
Most of the world’s polar bears live in Canada. Hunters and elders from northern Canada’s native communities have been immersed in studying polar bear ecology for centuries.
In two new peer-reviewed papers published in the journals Ecology and Evolution and Polar Record, scientists record the observations and experiences of Canada’s polar bear “experts” — the community members who live side-by-side with these “sea bears” (Ursus maritimus).
According to scientists, no study has indicated that there is a reason to presume that the perspectives of community observers are either suspect or incorrect. In fact, there have been multiple occasions when traditional ecological knowledge gleaned from local populations accurately identified polar bear subpopulation trends before new scientific studies could be conducted to corroborate them (York et al., 2016).
The overwhelming conclusion from years of accumulated conversations with native populations about polar bears is that there is almost no connection between the long-term observations of polar bear ecology and the more recent claims that polar bears as a species are in grave danger due to climate change and thinning sea ice.
In fact, the long-term observations suggest that polar bear subpopulations are currently faring quite well, with 92% of the subpopulations studied either remaining stable or growing in recent years.
According to Inuit observers, there may even be “too many” bears now.
Furthermore, the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) gleaned from local populations affirms that polar bears do not need thickened sea ice to hunt seals, as they can “catch seals even if the ice is really thin” (Wong et al., 2017).
The recent observations of polar bears eating land-based food, or eating out of garbage bins, is not evidence that they are hungrier and more desperate due to climate change. According to community observers, it is quite “typical” for polar bears to forage for land-based food (and garbage), as they are opportunists when it comes to food sources. Polar bears have been consuming land-based food well before there was concern about thinning sea ice and climate change.
A bold conclusion from York et al. (2016) is that, given the paleoclimate record of much warmer (+4 to +7.5 °C) Arctic and much more reduced sea ice thickness and extent in the past relative to today, “it seems unlikely that polar bears (as a species) are at risk from anthropogenic global warming.”
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Listing the Polar Bears as endangred under the ESA was pure politics not science a power grab by the Greens to control our property and regulate how we use it
Polar bears are omnivorous predators. They are the toughest SOB’s in one of the world’s harshest regions. Land sharks. Save the seals, shoot a Polar bear.
New Research Reports:
“…..Scientists have divided the total polar bear population into 19 units or subpopulations. (across Canada, Alaska, Siberia NOT just Canada as this article contends)
Of those,
the latest data from the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group show that three subpopulations are in decline and that there is a high estimated risk of future decline due to climate change.
Because of ongoing & potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. Limiting Hunting, trapping etc.”
….
THIS ARTICLE, with an obvious political motivation….
QUOTES “hunters & elders” as experts…..well I suspect they are expert hunters…and the Fur and Heads and Meat are valuables as well. THAT might motivate their “expert” opinions.
Just as Trumps slashing the size of Preservation Monuments
might just be motivated by the SHEER Unabashed GREED of locals who stand to profit from the TRILLION DOLLARS OF COAL that lies beneath our NATIONAL TREASURES….those parks and monuments.
Once those monuments are back under state & local control, a few million dollars greasing the palms of Republican & Democrat state legislatures will END much of those Parks & Monumental beauty:
Local Officials, off the record, admit that there is WAY OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS in what they choose to Call “clean coal” !
There is TRILLION DOLLARS++ IN COAL for the GREEDY Killer Coal energy monopoly…and if you think some pretty terrain is going to stand between them and MONEY, you need to have your skull examined.
THIS year,
for the 1st time,
SOLAR, WIND & Nat. Gas competition TO THOSE GREEDY KILLER COAL Billionaires
have CUT ELECTRIC RATES
nationally by 1%
..
TEXAS is the big winner, with the most SOLAR, WIND, & Nat.Gas
Electric Rates have been forced down by DOUBLE DIGITS !
Mindless repetition is a well-known tactic of cult leaders.
Cut-and-paste mindlessness. Endless regurgitation of left-wing dogma.
No original thought. No introspection, no humor, no wit… Rakook has become a bot.
Enviromentalisms a pagan new age religion which calls for the sacrifice of virgins and children or do like the Aztecs,Incan’s and Myhan’s did and rip out a few hearts