Polar bears face increasing welfare challenges as Arctic sea ice declines, forcing longer fasting periods, nutritional stress, and human conflict.
Polar bear welfare is directly tied to the trajectory of climate change. As sea ice seasons shorten, bears face prolonged fasting periods that push the boundaries of their physiological reserves. Females entering maternity dens with inadequate fat reserves produce smaller cubs with reduced survival. Bears in poor condition suffer the physical discomfort of prolonged hunger and reduced capacity to find and capture prey. Climate action is the most important intervention for polar bear welfare.