Population of Polar Bears
And How Pollution Affects It
The Arctic may seem like a perfect place for polar bears, its cold, vast and far away from industrial and city life. But in reality, polar bears in some parts of the Arctic can carry surprisingly high loads of toxic chemicals. Winds and currents carry pollutants to certain parts of the arctic. When they eat seals they can absorb higher levels of the pollutants.
Some effects of the pollutants are:
- Pollutants can affect the bears’ hormonal system, including hormones essential to their growth, reproduction, and metabolism.
- Certain toxins at high enough levels may affect the polar bears’ nervous system and thus potentially their cognitive skills.
Global warming also contributes to harming the polar bear population. The ice in the arctic is melting faster than ever and the polar bears are having to swim farther distances for food and their shelter is constantly decreasing in size.