Harmful Effects of Global Warming on Polar Bears

Running head: POLAR BEARS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
POLAR BEARS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1POLAR BEARS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Introduction
The image of polar bears are the generic symbols which conjures itself up in the minds when the
mention of the arctic regions is made. In the recent times the global warming has caused the
animals to be pushed towards the verge of extinction due to the loss of its habitat and its source
of food. The loss of the polar bears is a great loss to the nature as each of the species are meant to
play a vital role in the maintenance of the balance in the nature and the loss of a species can have
adverse consequences on the food chain and the resultant effect shall be experienced by the
entire humanity, as the human beings are at the mercy of the nature and any attempt to disrupt
the balance of nature shall be harmful for the human beings in the long run.
Statement of Purpose
In this particular essay the discussion shall be focusing upon the harmful effects of the polar ice
caps melting away as a result of the global warming and its effect on the polar bears residing in
the polar region. This is the thesis statement of the essay and the discussion about the harmful
effects of global warming on the existence of the polar bears. The discussion shall be put in form
of annotated bibliography and explaining briefly about the ideas the authors had wished to
disseminate through their works.
Discussion
In the article ‘Invariant polar bear habitat selection during a period of sea ice loss’ by
Wilson, Ryan R., et al. it is opined that the climate change and the altercation of the environment
has enabled most of the species of the world to adapt itself to the changes. However the polar

2POLAR BEARS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
bears have not been able to adapt to the drastic global warming and the melting of the polar ice
caps which has created sudden changes in the environment they live in. The inability of the polar
bears to adapt to the changes in their surroundings is owing to the fact that there has been a
serious loss of the source of their food which are the seals. The immediate consequence of it has
been in form of the reduction of the population of the polar bears (Ryan et al).
In the article ‘Arctic marine mammal population status, sea ice habitat loss, and
conservation recommendations for the 21st century’ by Laidre, Kristin L., et al, the main
argument made is that the loss of the polar ice caps have led to the polar bears change their
habitat and move more towards he land leaving the sea shores. The polar bears are not suited to
the habitat where they are being forced to move and that is causing their population to get
decreased. Over the past decades there has been serious deploration of the habitat of the polar
bears and the polar bears are thus being forced to invade the human settlements in search of food
(Laidre et al).
In the article ‘Anthropogenic flank attack on polar bears: interacting consequences of climate
warming and pollutant exposure’ by Bjørn et al, the main argument made is that the climate
change has not just adversely affected the population of the polar bears in terms of it getting
reduced in number and being pushed to the extent of endangerment. Rather it has also affected
the natural capacities of the polar bears in terms of reducing their immunity power, their fertility
and most importantly their hunting capacities which has caused them to find it difficult to search
for their food which are the seals. It is difficult for the polar bears to find their source of
nourishment apart from the seals and the loss of their habitat it has become difficult for them to
locate their source of food which is causing the species to be moved to the extent of
endangerment (Jenssen et al).