Polar Bears Move Into Human Settlements Due to Climate Change

Polar bears living in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska in the United States climb onto small pieces of ice to hunt seals. But as the ice has begun to melt because of global warming, it has become harder for the polar bears to find food.

Hungry polar bears have no choice but to head to the shore to eat whale carcasses discarded by hunters. Similarly, the bears go into human settlements in search of food. The appearance of polar bears terrifies residents.

According to Todd Atwood, a biologist at the Alaska Science Center, about 20% of the bears in the region have moved into villages in search of food.

As a result, the bears gained weight and their mercury levels decreased. Human settlements, where polar bears can find more abundant food, have made the bears healthier and stronger.

Melissa McKinney, a professor at the University of Connecticut, noted that whale carcasses left behind by hunters are becoming a predictable and easily accessible source of food for the bears.

In fact, the number of bears moving to the coast has steadily increased compared with 20 years ago. According to research, 82 polar bears a day search for animal carcasses.

Although whale carcasses on the coast satisfy the polar bears' hunger, they are depleted as soon as the hunting season ends.

The polar bears, then short of food, may enter villages and raid people's homes. Residents who go whale hunting now head to the coast armed with guns to protect themselves from the bears.

Consequently, if more polar bears enter villages, “the amount of food available per bear will decrease,” Atwood added.

Polar bears are expected to continue returning to human settlements. However, experts said that as long as the bears can find food, residents face little risk of being attacked by them.

Jennylyn Gianan fam1@pcss.co.kr