Some polar bears face starvation as the Arctic sea ice melts because they are unable to adapt their diets to living on land, scientists have found.But as the ice disappears in a warming world, many bears are spending greater amounts of time on shore, eating bird's eggs, berries and grass.The polar bear has become the poster child for the growing threat of climate change in the Arctic, but the reality of the impact on this species is complicated.
As well as taking blood samples, and weighing the bears, the animals were fitted with GPS-equipped video camera collars.In the ice-free summer months, the bears adopted different strategies to survive, with some essentially resting and conserving their energy.Both approaches failed, with 19 of the 20 bears in the study losing body mass, by up to 11% in some cases.On average they lost one kilogramme per day.
"Polar bears are not grizzly bears wearing white coats," said co-author Charles Robbins from the Washington State University Bear Center.Two of the three bears that took to the water found carcasses of dead animals but spent only a short time eating, as they were too tired from their exertions. Polar bears are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature , with climate change a key factor in their decline.Polar bears can eat up to 45kg of blubber in one sitting.These animals are strong swimmers and have been spotted up to 100km offshore, they can swim at speeds of around 10km per hour, due in part to their paws which are slightly webbed.
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