Polar bear population plummets

What is it about?

The southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population is one of the few populations that have been the subject of long-term research, which provides important insights into population ecology. Prior publications have revealed what appear to be negative consequences caused by climate warming, sea ice loss, and reduced access to seals. We estimated annual survival rates and polar bear abundance using data collected from 2001 to 2010 and found that the population declined substantially, perhaps by as much as half, over a four year period in the mid-2000s. The decline appeared to have stopped before the end of the study in 2010, though survival of young bears newly separated from their mothers remained low and may be a concern into the future. Available evidence suggests that the population decline was caused by low seal abundance or unfavorable ice conditions in both summer and winter that limited polar bear access to seals. We concluded that the relationship between sea ice characteristics and polar bear survival appears more complex than some have supposed, particularly over short time periods.

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Why is it important?

Findings documented a substantial decline in the abundance of polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea that will contribute importantly to U.S. and Canadian management of this shared population. New insights into the complexities of polar bear population dynamics derived from this research will prove valuable to ongoing research and in projections of future population status.