Polar bear sitting in tundra without snow - signs of global warming

by travel_photography | September 8, 2008 at 09:32 am
1362 views | 53 Recommendations | 21 comments

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Polar bear sitting in tundra without snow - signs of global warming

Polar bear sitting in tundra without snow - signs of global warming

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A young polar bear is sitting in the brown arctic tundra in November. No signs of snow or ice in sight. Polar bears are coming to the waters edge in October/November near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can get out on the ice to hunt.

In 2007, when we photographed polar bears near Churchill, it took till November 5 till snow finally arrived, kind of late. We have seen many polar bears just wandering around the tundra, hungry and sleepy. As soon as it turned cooler the bears got more active and excited.

The problem of global warming is that the ice arrives later and leaves earlier. This means that the polar bears have to wait longer till they can start feeding again (after a long summer of hardly any feeding at all) and at the end of the winter the ice melts faster which means that the bears have to swim further to reach shore again as well as their hunting season is shorter and the "non eating period" is longer (till the ice arrives again).

It is a very sad story and shows clearly the impact of global warming in the Arctic and the polar bears - lets hope we find a way to keep them alive.


recommend This comment thread is now closed
Barbara McPherson
Barbara McPherson
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 10:02 on September 8th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff.  It will be a sad day when the bears disappear from the wild.

0
travel_photography

thanks for your comment and flag.

Lets hope we can save them - too early to give up.


Ray Keating
Ray Keating
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 05:00 on September 9th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff. I have always felt an affinity for polar bears. After living in the Arctic for a number of years, I am deeply distressed at the changes we're seeing in the north.

Mike Wood
Mike Wood
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 05:33 on September 9th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff.

It's a shame Man always waits till it's too late to correct the problems created. The time to change our path to global destruction was 20 years ago. Anything done now will unfortunately just prolong the inevitable.

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travel_photography

thanks for your flags!


We still believe that it can be turned around to a certain point. probalem is that it is up to a view people up in the Governments, but they got other  priorities, which is very sad. Not saying that it is the only problem we have right now, but it would be nice if the big guys start thinking OTHER then wars and money, at least a little bit.


Amy Judd
Amy Judd
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:09 on September 9th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff.

This is so sad.

Karen Hatter
Karen Hatter
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:29 on September 9th, 2008

Travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Christina 123
Christina 123
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:03 on September 9th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff. Aw, it's an ickle, lickle polar bear!  My favourite animal! 

Cue photo stream of polar bears...

Paschen
Paschen
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 20:18 on September 10th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Jennings David L
Jennings David L
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:21 on October 11th, 2008

travel_photography, good story and photos.  Hopefully the snow comes soon to them.

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travel_photography

thanks for all the flags - yes we hope they have a "better year" this year.

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master_jim2008

poor things

I really feel bad for how we've made our planet FUBAR


munty13
munty13
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:57 on October 14th, 2008

travel_photography, I like this story. It's good stuff. Beautiful animals.

theunderminer
theunderminer
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:59 on October 14th, 2008

travel_photography, very sad indeed. Reminds me of Planet Earth!

Fairbanks
Fairbanks
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:36 on October 20th, 2008

This is an opinion piece.  This is the coldest October in decades.  Not since 1965 have there been nine consecutive sub-zero nights.  This summer was three weeks behind schedule.  Last winter was -40 or more many times.  Last summer missed altogether.  Last time we had this kind of weather they said the next Ice Age was on the way.  Of course, whatever they say about elves is true. 

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travel_photography

Thanks for the flag, and thanks for the update, lets hope it stays cold so they get out on the ice in time this year.

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stoof

Polar bears can't survive without snow! Someone please tell the zookeeper to turn on the snow-making machines.

/s

sheesh

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travel_photography

stoof - I'm sorry, but you have to explain to me how they survive if they can't get on the ice to hunt. Sorry, but the real world out there has nothing to do with a zoo!

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Nikik

i love polgar bears. I hate global waerming

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Kelsey Eliasson

This picture was taken in September - of course, there's no snow!

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travel_photography

Kelsey,

actually the picture was taken beginning of November 07.

Rolf


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