Deep in Arctic seas near Norway’s Svalbard islands, something quiet has shifted polar bears seem healthier now than before. Even as ice vanishes fast, their physical state has strengthened across years. Spotted on shore or floating at sea, these animals carry more fat than earlier observations suggested. While climate pressure builds around them, food sources appear stable enough to support such recovery. Scientists watch this closely, asking how survival adapts when surroundings transform.
A Surprising Shift in Body Condition
Since about 2000, scientists noticed something changing. Adult polar bears in Svalbard and the Barents Sea now carry heavier fat levels than before. They look more plump, almost as if they’re doing better overall even though sea ice has melted a lot lately.
The Role of Sea Ice Loss and Warming Seas
Even as sea ice vanishes, usually leaving polar bears without their usual hunting spot, warmer conditions in the Barents Sea seem to be tied to fatter Svalbard bears right now.
Changes in Prey Distribution and Concentration
When sea ice disappears, ringed seals key food source for polar bears gather in narrower ice zones. That tighter space could simplify hunts, placing seals right in front of hungry bears just when fuel is needed most.
Increased Access to Alternative Foods on Land
Out on the ice here, polar bears now grab meals from land too – like reindeer, bits of walrus, eggs from birds nesting in cliffs, along with harbour seals slipping onto shore. When usual hunting spots fade, these extra sources help fill their energy needs through shifting times.
Population Protection and Prey Recovery
Even as nature struggles, work done long ago lifted a few key animal populations back from too much hunting pressure. These extra animals add food sources for bears, helping them stay strong despite worsening conditions around them.
Behavioural Adjustments to a Changing Habitat
Nowhere else do animals shift so dramatically with climate change. When sea ice melts, these bears change where they look for food. Instead of sticking to land habits only, they adapt their movement across shorelines. Their search for prey follows shifting animal migrations year by year.
Limitations of Terrestrial Foods for Long-Term Nutrition
Even with such changes, studies suggest land-based food supplies may not offer enough nourishment to replace what seal blubber naturally provides – a role polar bears have relied on for thousands of years.
The Importance of Fat Reserves for Survival
When food runs short, polar bears rely on stored fat to last them through tough stretches – especially if there’s no sea ice for hunting. For females, extra reserves come in handy when raising cubs; survival during those early months often hinges on enough fuel.
A Temporary Window of Opportunity?
Though things seem better now, experts warn that moment might pass fast. Because disappearing sea ice keeps making hunts harder on polar bears, their food effort now may not last long into change. Energy they take in often does not match what they burn over time, especially when surroundings shift again.
