THE WOE OF THE WHITE BEARS

It has been quite a few decades since the alarm of global warming was raised. However, in spite of increased awareness, human activities have hardly changed in the macroscopic domain.

The seeds of destruction that we humans sow are reaped by all mortal beings on the earth; in fact, other members of the ecosystem are exploited forbiddingly for the sake of our luxury and lifestyle.

You may wonder why all of a sudden we are having a discussion on an apparently ‘common’ issue? Well, the heading is the hint. The melting of the polar ice caps is an ultimatum to the human civilisation which has only aggravated not due to ignorance but negligence. The animals dwelling in the icy lands have faced the wrath in ways that have harmed humans as well, as a consequence.

The poles face the most chilling winters, even the summers are shivering. The creatures surviving such adversities need a huge supply of calorie to maintain their body temperature. The animal in discussion here, the polar bear, requires a humongous daily intake of 12000 calories to survive. Which, however, is becoming increasingly difficult with time. As the polar ice melts, the supply of prey is lowering down. An immediate result is that the bears are having to travel larger distances in search of food.

Scientifically known as Ursus maritimus, the polar bears are a species of marine mammals. They have an average length of six to nine feet and weigh between 360 to 490 kg. A thick water repellent coating of body fat lies under their skin and helps them to win over the cold. The animals are quite selective about their prey. In search of ringed and bearded seals, they catch only one or two out of every ten seals they hunt. In fact, an estimate reveals that they spend fifty percent of their lifetime in hunting. Lately, they are having to spend more, owing to climatic changes.

Every year in the Churchill town in Hudson Bay, Canada, tourists gather to have a sight of a natural spectacle: polar bears enjoying summer. However what stands as eye candy for visitors is increasingly becoming a threat for the local inhabitants.

Lack of food on the shores stimulates the predators to invade human habitats. WWF (World Wild Fund) has appointed troops to scare away bears in case of emergency. However, they could hardly be restricted. In Greenland, the number of annual deaths caused by polar bears has risen from nine to twenty-one within a decade.​

The condition is not limited to Canada and Alaska. In the northernmost villages of Russia, coming face to face with ravenous bears has become a part of daily life. Moreover, often the bears have to be shot, which has further added to their misery. The two-way vulnerability has clearly been alarming to conservationists, as confirmed by Rod Downie, head of all polar programmes at WWF.

A drastic reduction in the number of polar bears in the past decade has brought them down to a mere population of thirty thousand, so much so that they have been marked as ‘Vulnerable’ on the Red List. We as human beings occupy the highest ecological position; stand different from and above all other animals by one single virtue - humanity. However, if we do not take immediate actions to stabilise the polar ecosystem, another wonder of the world would be sacrificed at the altar of our deeds. When we put their existence in danger, don’t we endanger humanity as well?

The article attempts to enlighten the reader on the threat that human activities and its consequences like global warming pose to the ecosystem, particularly polar bears. The natural habitat and physical conditions have also been emphasised on, so as to make it easy for the reader to spot the difference. Statistics have been provided to indicate the alarming situation. A humble attempt at creating an environmental awareness has been done through the article.