Wild Polar Bear Welfare and Climate Change

Polar bears are highly dependent on sea ice for hunting seals. As climate change shrinks Arctic sea ice, individual bears are experiencing prolonged fasting, increased conflict, and significant welfare deterioration.

Key Facts

Arctic sea ice extent has declined by approximately 13% per decade since 1979
Polar bears depend on sea ice to hunt ringed seals — their primary food source
Bears in the Hudson Bay region have significantly lower body condition than in the 1980s due to longer ice-free seasons
Prolonged fasting causes muscle loss, weakness, and in extreme cases starvation
Conflict between polar bears and humans has increased as bears spend more time on land near communities
Female bears in poor condition produce smaller, less viable cubs with higher mortality rates

Welfare Considerations

Climate change is causing measurable, ongoing welfare deterioration for individual polar bears. Prolonged fasting during extended ice-free seasons causes physical suffering — loss of muscle mass, metabolic stress, and in severe cases starvation. Behavioral abnormalities including unusual aggression and extended foraging in human settlements reflect desperation from food scarcity. Cubs born to depleted mothers have lower survival rates. While this is a welfare problem caused by a global systemic driver, its individual impacts are acute and measurable. The welfare of polar bears is inseparable from the climate crisis — individual rescue interventions cannot address suffering at population scale.

What You Can Do

Reduce your carbon footprint to address the climate change driving polar bear habitat loss
Support Polar Bears International in their research and advocacy work
Advocate for ambitious climate targets — the welfare of Arctic species depends on rapid emissions reductions
Oppose oil and gas exploration in critical polar bear habitat areas
Support conflict mitigation programs that reduce dangerous encounters between bears and Arctic communities