Melting sea ice could wipe out one third of world’s polar bears by 2050, study says
- 7 years ago
GLAND, SWITZERLAND — Polar bear numbers could drop by a third over the next 35 years because of global warming.
The warning comes in a study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), phys.org reported.
The global polar bear population is estimated to stand at 26,000. The study suggests there is a 70 percent chance that figure will drop 30 percent by 2050.
Melting sea ice caused by global warming is the main threat to the survival of polar bears. Polar bears depend on sea ice as a floating platform to hunt seals, which can outswim them in the water.
The presence of manmade chemicals in the food chain is another major threat to polar bear numbers.
The IUCN monitors endangered species on its Red List. The organisation classifies polar bears as “vulnerable,” meaning the species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
The warning comes in a study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), phys.org reported.
The global polar bear population is estimated to stand at 26,000. The study suggests there is a 70 percent chance that figure will drop 30 percent by 2050.
Melting sea ice caused by global warming is the main threat to the survival of polar bears. Polar bears depend on sea ice as a floating platform to hunt seals, which can outswim them in the water.
The presence of manmade chemicals in the food chain is another major threat to polar bear numbers.
The IUCN monitors endangered species on its Red List. The organisation classifies polar bears as “vulnerable,” meaning the species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.