Polar Bear Climate Change and Welfare Crisis

Polar bears face existential threat from Arctic sea ice loss driven by climate change, causing nutritional stress, forced land congregation, and welfare deterioration at population scale.

Key Facts

Polar bear populations are projected to decline 30-49% by mid-century under moderate emissions scenarios
Summer sea ice loss forces polar bears ashore for months longer than historically, increasing fasting duration
Bears ashore compete for limited terrestrial food resources and show elevated cortisol from nutritional stress
Subadult males in poor condition increasingly scavenge in human settlements, increasing conflict risk
The Southern Hudson Bay subpopulation has declined 30% since the 1980s

Welfare Considerations

Individual polar bears experiencing extended fasting periods suffer the welfare consequences of starvation: depleted fat reserves, muscle catabolism, and reduced immune function. Cubs born to nutritionally stressed mothers are smaller and have lower survival rates. Bears congregating in Churchill and other coastal communities seeking food face escalating human conflict, with removal and captive holding creating additional stress. The welfare crisis of polar bears is a direct consequence of human-caused climate change, making emissions reduction the most direct welfare intervention possible.

What You Can Do

Support aggressive climate action as the primary polar bear welfare intervention
Donate to Polar Bears International research and advocacy programs
Avoid polar bear watching tourism that concentrates human traffic near stressed bear populations
Learn about sea ice dynamics and polar bear ecology from USGS and Environment Canada resources