Polar bears on Norwegian islands fatter and healthier despite ice loss, scientists say
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A study of polar bears in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago, revealed that they have become fatter and healthier between 1992 and 2019, despite a significant decline in sea ice due to climate change. Researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute weighed and measured 770 adult bears, finding a significant increase in their body fat. This unexpected outcome is attributed to the bears adapting to ice loss by hunting more land-based prey, such as reindeer and a growing population of walruses, which have been protected in Norway since the 1950s. While increased ice-free days have negatively impacted cub survival, the adult bears have seemingly benefited from new food sources and potentially more efficient seal hunting due to concentrated populations. However, researchers caution that this positive trend is unlikely to continue as sea ice continues to diminish, forcing bears to travel farther for food.
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