The Problem

A polar bear’s ideal diet consists of large seals, walruses and whales (Polar Bears International, 2014). These animals are high in fat and provide polar bears with all of the necessary nutrients (mostly fatt such as the omega –fatty acids) that they need to survive (Polar Bears International, 2014). In one sitting, a fully-grown polar bear will consume up to around 100 pounds of blubber (Polar Bears International, 2014). They hunt by waiting for their prey to surface at openings in the ice or at breathing holes known as agluses (Polar Bears International, 2014). The issue is that with global warming raising temperatures in the Antarctic every year, monumentally large amounts of ice are melting (polar Bears International, 2014). Without sufficient amounts of ice, polar bears are not able to hunt their primary prey. It is rare that a polar bear will catch either a seal, walrus or whale in open water (Polar Bears International, 2014). During the warmer times of the year, when ice retreats due to natural seasonal changes, polar bears will sometimes travel hundreds of miles following ice (Polar Bears International, 2014). But polar bears are opportunistic hunters and in times of desperation will look towards land for food sources such as vegetation, geese and bird eggs (Polar Bears International, 2014). However, these terrestrial animals do not provide polar bears with the necessary nutrients (Polar Bears International, 2014).

http://conservativehideout.com/2012/04/06/polar-bears-dying-off-not-so-much-another-blow-to-climate-alarmists/

Reference List

• "Hunting and Diet." Polar Bears International.http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/essentials/hunting-and-eating(accessed February 14, 2014).