Polar bears resort to cannibalism

Climate chaos0

Environmentalists contend that shrinking polar ice due to global warming may lead to the disappearance of polar bears before the end of the century, according to an article in The Australian (14/6/2006, p.8).

Petition for polar bear protection: In February 2005, the Centre for Biological Diversity of Joshua Tree, California, Petitioned the Federal Government to list polar bears as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Bears resort to cannabalism: Cannibalism demonstrates the effect on bears, lead author of the petition, Kassic Siegal, said. "It shows in a really graphic way how severe the problem of global warming is for polar bears." Researchers discovered the first kill in January 2004. A male bear had pounced on a den, killed a female and dragged it 75m away, where it ate part of the carcass. Females are about half the size of males.

Killer bear forces way in: "In the face of the den’s outer wall were deep impressions of where the predatory bear had pounded its forepaws to collapse the den roof, just as polar bears collapse the snow over ringed seal lairs," the paper said. f/t/l

Study soon in print: The predation study was published in an online version of the journal Polar Biology on April 27 and Dr Steven Amstrup of the US Geological Survey Alaska Science Centre said print publication would follow.

The Australian, 14/6/2006, p. 8

Source: Erisk Net  

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