Must be all that global cooling. It’s enough to make a self-respecting bear wanna head south for some warmer weather.
Another polar bear has been discovered in Iceland, which is hundreds of kilometres from the threatened species’ natural habitat.
Polar bears are rare sightings in Iceland, since they have to swim hundreds of kilometres through icy waters to reach the island from their natural Arctic habitats. The bear discovered on Monday is the second spotted on the island in the past two weeks.
The bears’ appearances could lend credence to warnings from experts that climate change is creating a more perilous environment for the majestic Arctic animals.A warming climate means the ice – where the bears usually hunt the seals – is receding and literally melting under their paws, forcing them to swim ever greater distances.
Another polar bear sighted in Iceland – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Filed under: Environment , ClimateChange, Global Cooling, Polar Bears
As I live in the Arctic , I have some additional info re these polar bears.
Both were shot, however after the first shooting , the Icelandic authorities received hate mails from the entire world.
So a rich Icelander funded polar bear experts from the Copenhagen Zoo , complete with tranquilizer darts and cages. It was meant that the polar bears should be transported back to Greenland.
Unfortunately , the polar bear was injured and had to be put down.
It is believed that climate change made the polar bears to drift from Greenland to Iceland on ice floes because global warming had weakened the pack ice.
There are some more info on Polar Bears on my blog.