Will humans be responsible for the extinction of polar bears. It appears that the global warming is causing the melting of the sea ice might affect polar bears from feeding, study shows.
More and more studies have raised awareness about the effects of the global warming are becoming extremely obvious in the arctic zones which by causing the melting of the sea ice.
The sea ice is a very important factor in the life of the polar bears, as it helps them hunt for marine animals, their most important source of food.
Because of the lack of sea ice, polar bears have been forced to feed more often from the land which has declined the health and surviving chances of the animals.
A research team from the U.S.Geological Survey has claimed that even though, in theory it might sound that polar bears could survive with the food coming only from the ground, practically it is just the beginning of their disappearance.
If measures are not taken immediately to preserve the sea ice, we in the future we will be talking about polar bears as an extinct species. By 2050 60% of the polar bear population might be gone if the arctic sea ice continues to melt at the same speed.
The study has discovered that bears have been forced to feed with eggs, birds, berries, but this type of diet is not equivalent with the nutrients the polar bears find in the sea animals they hunt.
The sea animals hunted by the bears are the richest lipid food in the bear’s diet and this species needs high amounts of fat for survival. The fat nutrients from the marine prey are an energy source and help their bodies to absorb important vitamins like A,E,D and K.
On the other hand, the food sources found on terrestrial ground are plants or foods low in fat and high in protein, and bears have not been created to be able to digest plants, explained the researchers.
However, the scientists have stated that this might not apply to all the areas, and they have come across this situation in the zones where the study had been conducted.
During their documentation, out of a population between 900 to 2000 bears, researchers have noticed less than 30 bears eating food found on land. This small amount of bears cannot be taken as relevant to confirm the notes of this study.
Scientists agreed that further studies have to be conducted in order to form a decisive conclusion on the present diet of the polar bears. Still, one thing is certain: the foods available on land cannot complete the nutritional requirements of polar bears.
Until then, global warming remains a real threat which humans have to take immediate action against.
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