Polar Bear Welfare and Sea Ice Loss

Polar bears are experiencing prolonged fasting periods as sea ice melts earlier and forms later, causing welfare harm to individuals and threatening the long-term viability of populations.

Key Facts

Sea ice in the Arctic has declined by approximately 13% per decade since 1979
Polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform for hunting ringed seals
Some western Hudson Bay polar bears now spend 4 months longer on land without food
Female polar bears with cubs are most vulnerable to extended fasting periods
Body condition has declined measurably in some populations over recent decades
Polar bear cubs born to malnourished mothers have lower survival rates

Welfare Considerations

Polar bears fasting for extended periods on land without access to their primary prey undergo physiological deterioration that causes weakness, reduced immune function, and in severe cases, starvation. Females nursing cubs while fasting draw on reserves that may be insufficient for both maternal function and cub survival. Cubs born too small due to maternal malnutrition face cold stress and inadequate milk supply. The welfare harm from climate-driven sea ice loss is occurring to individual bears now, while the ultimate conservation threat builds over decades.

What You Can Do

Take personal climate action to reduce your carbon footprint
Advocate strongly for government climate policies that limit warming to 1.5 degrees
Support polar bear monitoring programs that document welfare impacts of sea ice loss
Donate to organizations combining polar bear research with climate advocacy
Engage with the welfare dimension of climate change when discussing bear conservation
Support Arctic protection policies that reduce additional stressors on bear populations