The dangers of climate change are apparent nearly everywhere in the world today. Global Warming is when temperatures rise as part of a natural cycle on Earth. Humans are claimed to be large contributors to Global Warming. Human habits are believed to be increasing the rate at which temperatures increase. From rising temperature to rising sea levels, everything is of concern. Natural disasters are expected to become worse and occur more frequently. The ice caps are melting at a faster rate than usual, which affects the habitats of arctic animals such as the polar bear. Polar bears have been brought to the spotlight ever since they were promptly featured in Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” as an unfortunate species that is a victim of climate change. There are claims circulating that polar bears are in danger of drowning as an adverse effect of climate change. There are many that agree with these claims and many that don’t. Evidence has been provided to support both claims.
Experiments have been conducted off the coast of Alaska documenting polar bear activity. Four polar bear carcasses have been found in Beaufort Sea. Speculations support that these bears drowned. Scientists believe that since the ice is melting, there is less space for polar bears to inhabit, especially when it gets warmer. Polar bears are unable to hunt seals and therefore must travel elsewhere. Polar bears are forced to swim greater distances to find food and habitat. They drown while swimming. Polar bears can swim 15 miles without a problem. When they have to swim 60-100 miles, they’re in danger of becoming victims to exhaustion, hypothermia, or getting taken over by the waves. Sometimes, polar bears may even be forced to become cannibals. So a correlation follows: As temperatures increase, more ice melts. As more ice melts, more polar bears are displaced. As more polar bears become displaced, more are in danger of drowning or turning to cannibalism.
There are claims about stating that polar bears are drowning because other factors, such as natural disturbances and disasters (both of which increase because of climate change). Others claim that humans are the ones who disturb polar bears’ habitats. There was one claim regarding the four polar bear carcasses argued the polar bears were tranquilized by darts and thrown back into the water. Another claim stated that the area explored served as a sample and that there could be as many as 27 dead polar bears floating around off the coast of Alaska. The former claim supports human influences as the reason why polar bears are being harmed. The latter seems to support climate change. However, it does seem to be escalating the actual problem.
There doesn’t seem to be a monetary gain to be obtained through the experiments or the claims. A possible political gain may be obtained if agreeing with Al Gore or repudiate his claims. There hasn’t been much evidence in recent news about drowning polar bears. Other experiments have been conducted, and nothing major was reported about drowning polar bears or carcasses that may have been found. All of these claims are uncertain. There were actually four polar bear carcasses found. It is unsure if they were tranquilized and killed by humans, killed by predators, or by the elements. There is a degree of uncertainty about just how many polar bears have drowned and who or what it to be blamed. These experiments fit into information about climate change, the atmosphere, meteorology, and animal sciences. To actually obtain a better idea of what is endangering polar bears, more in depth experiments would have to be performed, tracking a sample of polar bears through their lifetime in the Arctic. Their causes of death would have to be observed to really figure out what’s happening to the polar bears.
Is Global Warming as dangerous and fast-approaching as the public is lead to believe? Are polar bears in danger? My guess is that the rise in temperature will hurt them and us, but we’ll all adapt over time. Rises in temperature are natural parts of earth’s cycles. The earth is simply entering a stage of warming and will one day cool down.
