The age of the Polar bear is coming to an end ! In 20 years, it will probably be extinct from the polar areas, according to a number of Scientists, and in 30 years, - maybe also from the Zoo's.
During the past three decades, the number of polar bears in the Russian polar bear reserve in the Chukchi Sea was reduced from about 4,000 to a about of 1700 animals at present. At present, the numbers are even lower. According to the international organization IUCN, The Organization of threatened Species. In 2008 there were between 20,000 and 25,000 polar bears in the world. Due to the rapid decline of the population, the polar bear was put on the red list of endangered species.
Why are the they disappearing ? There may be several reasons. The ice edge and sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is where the Polar bear hunt for food. In this area they hunt for seal in their breathing holes, and hunt for seal on the ice.The ice is gone ! Their best hunting habitats are disappearing. As the ice breaks earlier, the bears and cubs are often lost on huge ice flakes, and are not able to get back on-shore for their summer hunt and natural habitat.
Polar bears live in the Arctic, from Alaska through Canada and Greenland, Svalbard and eastward into Russia. There are no bears around the North Pole, due to the thickness of the ice, and the lack of seals for the bears to hunt.
Due to the lack of food in unpopulated northern areas, the bears search for food in populated area. This is a problem in the entire northern region, and many are shot.
Since June this year, the North Pole has lost 100,000 square kilometers of ice every day, an area the size of Iceland, - and we repeat - daily.
Give it a thought !
Read: Svalbard: 3000 Polar bears, 2500 Humans
The Svalbard archipelago constitutes the northernmost part of Norway between North Norway and the North Pole. The location of the islands ranges between 74 to 81 degrees north. Spitsbergen is the largest island and Longyearbyen is the administrative center. The archipelago features an Arctic climate, and offers a great destination for your holidays.
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The British expedition to Svalbard, in which a 17-year-old student was killed and four seriously injured by a polar bear on Friday, is to end early, and the group will be re-patriated to the UK.
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The four British studenst injured by a polar bear on Svalbard Friday, have been flown to Tromsø University Hospital (photo) for treatment. Their injuries are not life-threatening, but serious for two of them.
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On the Arctic Svalbard archipelago, one British tourist was killed and four others were seriously injured by a polar bear Friday morning, NRK reports. They have been airlifted to the Longyearbyen hospital. The bear has been killed.
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Norway defeated Switzerland 3-2 at the at the Ice Hockey world championship in the Slovak town of Kosice Thursday night and moved into a tie for first place in Group F with five points.
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What has become known as the world`s largest soccer tournament, the Norway Cup, kicks off in Oslo on Sunday, and 30,000 young boys and girls from the age of 10 to 19 from 54 nations will participate.
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Two Norwegian adventurers attempting to be the first to circumnavigate Svalbard in a kayak, were attacked in their tent by a polar bear on Thursday morning, and one of them was injured.
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Norway's pavillion at the EXPO world fair 2010 in Shanghai opened on Saturday, and long lines of visitors had formed even before the doors to the 1800 square meter building had opened.
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The Norwegian Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim (photo), hopes the current meeting of the polar bear parties in Tromsoe, Norway can agree on a common action plan for the polar bear...
Norway is hosting a meeting in Tromsoe of the Contracting Parties to the 1973 polar bear Agreement, to review implementation of the Agreement, and to identify useful polar bear conservation strategies. ..
Rune Gjeldnes (28) and Torry Larsen (28) are planning to cross the Arctic Ocean by ski from North Russia through the North Pole to northern Canada without assistance...
The Svalbard District Governor will now examine the security for tourists visitng the archipelago, following the large number of search and rescue missions the past month. It has also been discussed if travellers should carry communications equipment.(Photo Longyearbyen)..
