The lion is par excellence the king of the jungle, but if we change the scene and drastically lower the temperatures, the polar bear becomes, without any doubt, the new and legitimate monarch.
These amazing creatures inhabit the ice-covered waters of the Arctic , extending from Canada, Norway or Denmark, to some areas of Russia and even, to a lesser extent, Iceland. This leads to the reaffirmation of the idea that polar bears cope with great ease in adverse conditions and extremely dangerous for any other type of living being.
It is estimated that there are currently between 22,000 and 32,000 specimens worldwide , rates that, due to their progressive decline, have aroused the concern of biologists and scientists for years. In fact, this species has become the benchmark for the health status of ecosystems . Unfortunately, the extreme situation faced by polar bears is a powerful indicator of the lack of effective environmental policies worldwide.
For more than twenty years, polar bears have been forced (and increasingly) to move long distances during summer periods in search of frozen areas. Precisely, it is on the ice that the obtaining of food for these animals depends, since it is what allows them to hunt. The rise in temperatures delays the solidification of the water and therefore delays (and shortens) the feeding period of the bears. Unfortunately, it is increasingly common to find these animals in a serious state of malnutrition. The most prone to this are females with cubs that inhabit the southernmost areas of their range.
Organizations such as the US Oceanic Administration have carried out different investigations on the environmental impact of the melting of the Arctic plates. The latest results have been alarming, as 2016 recorded the smallest sea ice surface in the last 37 years .
Despite the difficulties, the polar bear remains one of the most impressive creatures on the planet, as its characteristics make it an icon of the animal kingdom. In the following gallery we show you everything you need to know about this vulnerable, but powerful species .
