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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Polar bear populations in Alaska and Canada have declined by nearly half

The bears rely on floating sea ice to mate, travel, and hunt. But thanks to climate change, this ice is melting quickly, forcing polar bears onto land, far away from their typical prey—namely, seals. Without seals to eat, many bears starve to death.
 "Of the 80 cubs observed in Alaska from 2004 to 2007, only two are known to have survived," said Jeff Bromaghin, USGS research statistician.  About a third of the world's polar bears could be in imminent danger from greenhouse gas emissions in as soon as a decade, a The U.S. Geological Survey's report  shows. The plight of polar bears has become a potent symbol of how climate change is altering the world's ecosystem. Read more at http://www.cbsnews.com/