White, or polar, bear - mighty and beautifulan animal, a real symbol of the Arctic. However, the indigenous inhabitant of the North was under threat. The number of polar bears in the Arctic in recent years has greatly decreased. Scientists claim that in half a century they may not remain on our planet at all. In 2008, the polar bear was declared an endangered species, and it was entered in the Red Book.
Scientists-zoologists give several reasons for the decrease in the population of polar bears. Among them, natural and anthropogenic factors can be distinguished.
One of the main reasons why it decreasesthe number of polar bears, we can consider the warming of the climate and the associated reduction in the area of polar ice. And this greatly affects the life of a polar bear, since this animal lives by hunting for seals. Over the past 30 years, the area of ice in the Arctic Ocean has decreased to 5.02 million square meters. km against an average of more than 7 million square meters. km.
Climate change has led to warming of water inthe southern part of the Arctic Ocean. Some cold-blooded fish (for example, saika) have gone to more northern areas. And behind them moved and the population of ringed seals, which the polar bear hunts. Some of the bears left behind the seals to the north, and the rest is experiencing great difficulties with food. As a result, bears begin to eat not their usual food - bird eggs, lemmings, berries.
Hungry animals are increasingly coming tohuman habitation. In search of food they ransack garbage dumps and dumps, are a danger to humans. Such animals are shot, which also explains why the number of polar bears is decreasing.
Also, eating food waste, they often swallow and such dangerous things as polyethylene film, nylon nets for products, pieces of glass, etched with residues of household chemicals.
This powerful and dexterous beast leads a wandering imagelife. In the spring, when the ice begins to melt, the polar bears go north. Wandering from the ice floe to the ice floe, they make long passes. In ice water, they dive during a hunt or to move to another ice floe.
The warming of the climate has led to the fact thatThe resulting ice becomes thinner and less durable. It breaks more easily and crumbles when struck. Therefore, polar bears have to swim long distances than before. This is associated with a huge waste of energy, which means that more food is needed for recovery. The young can not just overpower such a journey and drown.
Due to the changed ice conditions, manythe she-bears do not have time to return to the land for the continuation of the family. Increasingly, they are forced to dig tribal lairs directly on the ice floe, which increases the risk of death of both babies and the bear herself. After the appearance of cubs and feeding them takes a lot of her strength, and go out of the den for hunting, she can not until the children can not follow her.
Another reason why it decreasesthe number of polar bears, is poaching. While they were an object of hunting for only a few indigenous inhabitants of the North, this was not noticeable. But when bears began to hunt with modern weapons, using helicopters, the number of shot animals increased dramatically. Organized whole tours for hunting polar bear. And the skin of the dead Arctic predator was then proudly shown to the guests.
Now the polar bear is guarded, but for poachers this is not an obstacle.
Scientists are trying to establish more precisely whythe number of polar bears decreases. The answers are different. Among the causes are also diseases, for example trichinosis. It causes parasites, settling in the muscles of animals. In addition to polar bears, they are sick of arctic foxes, sled dogs, seals. Some people think that people brought this disease to the North.
There is no doubt that polar bears need protection. Otherwise, our grandchildren may never know about the strong and surprisingly beautiful beast, the nomad of the Arctic, who lived in the harsh North.
