What do we mean by PBI Leadership Camp 2006? Simply put, we are a group of 14 students from around the world who had the opportunity to spend 11 days in Churchill, Canada (located in Manitoba) and study the effects of global warming on the arctic, all made possible by Polar Bears International (PBI). We spent our days on Tundra Buggy's out in 'polar bear country', were we came up cloes and personal with these amazing animals, but also recieved a better understanding of the plight these animals are and will continue to go through as global warming continues.
So what exactly is happening, and how is global warming affecting the polar bears? The biggest problem for these bears is changes in sea ice. Polar bears rely on the sea ice to get to their main source of food, ringed seals. In Churchill, the sea ice usually begins to form around mid-November. As soon as the sea ice is formed, the polar bears are getting on it. Once on the ice, they can eat. The bears usually get off the sea ice in mid-July, when the ice begins to melt and pregnant females begin to prepare for their cubs.
So, back to the original question. How is global warming effecting the bears? Because of warming, the ice hasn't been forming as soon as it usually does, and is melting sooner than it used to. This means that the bears have to wait longer to get on the ice and have to get off the ice sooner. These changes can take a significant chunk out of the already short amount of time these bears have to eat.
Along with the above problem comes the fact that the ice is also becoming thinner. This means that the bears can have trouble moving around the ice, as the last thing they want to do is fall into the freezing water.
And then there is the problem that the ice is forming farther and farther away from the shore. Even though polar bears can swim, they can only swim so far. An adult bear can swim around 30-50 miles. These problems can tie into each other as well. Since the bears have to wait longer to get on the ice, a bear that doesn't have as much fat to live off of will be more willing to try and swim to the ice. If they don't, they could starve to death. Some bears don't make it and drown. Cubs, who follow their mother into the water, often drown. Some bears, mainly males, have even been reported as killing cubs (and occasionally the mothers) and eating them.
Then the last of the 'major' problems for the bears directly effects the females. A female polar bear needs to weigh between 440-660 lbs (200-300 kg) to have cubs. Since the amount of time that the bears have to hunt is being shortened because of ice melting sooner, some females are unable to keep a weight high enough to have cubs. The population of polar bears is expected to drop as bears drown, starve, and less females raising cubs.
So what can we do to help not only the polar bears, but the environment that surrounds each one of us? We've all heard of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Even though this is a easy thing to do, many people don't. Buy a bottle of water at the store? Reuse that bottle as much as you can, and then recycle it.
The biggest contributer to global warming is the use of fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuels can be reduced in many ways. Take public transportation whenever possible. If you are looking to buy a new car, look into a fuel effecient car. Better gas mileage, less gas used. Also, you can look into cars that use biodiesel!
Energy effecient appliances, like washing machines and dryers, can cut back on the amount of electricity used, and therefore the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.
And then, there are the really 'little' things, such as using different lightbulbs, like Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs. CFL's not only have a longer life, but put out less carbon dioxide emmissions!
There are many, many other ways to help and care for the environment around you, and every little bit helps!
If you have any questions at all, feel free to messege us! We would love to answer any questions you have!
