Polar bears drown as ice shelf melts

[montana500]

www.wilderness-sportsman.com


SCIENTISTS have for the first time found evidence that polar bears are drowning because climate change is melting the Arctic ice shelf.
The researchers were startled to find bears having to swim up to 60 miles across open sea to find food. They are being forced into the long voyages because the ice floes from which they feed are melting, becoming smaller and drifting farther apart.



Although polar bears are strong swimmers, they are adapted for swimming close to the shore. Their sea journeys leave them them vulnerable to exhaustion, hypothermia or being swamped by waves.

[Spinzonner]

1. So I'm sure that the Administration will propose

Polar Bear Flotation Vests as a solution.

:sarcasm:

[wake.up.america]

2. This is very sad, These magnificent creatures becoming victims...

to man's stupidity.

[Bushy Being Born]

5. Yeah, it doesn't exactly make you feel better about yourself

:cry:

[wake.up.america]

8. You are so right.

[montana500]

9. agreed.

nm

[dietbubba]

3. Administration

Actually I think the administration's response is going to be something along the lines of "Well that can't be true. There ain't no drowning bahrs in them coke commercials. Boy them and those penguins is mighty friendly."

[Ladyhawk]

17. No, the standard procedure is to kill some off in order to save them.

In order to "save" Iraq, we've killed Iraqis. In order to save the forests, we've cut down the trees. In order to save America's "way of life" we've curtailed its civil liberties. So, in order to save the bears, we had to let some die. There were too many. They would have died of starvation anyway. Drowning is much more humane. :eyes:

[Nothing Without Hope]

4. Tragic. 2005 was the warmest year on record in the N Hemisphere:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5611949
thread title (12/16 GD): More evidence of GLOBAL WARMING: BBC: "2005 warmest on record in north"

K & R

[Kolesar]

6. We have only had hints of climate change for 15 or 20 years

I don't know if we could have prevented this, but corporate America and their faith-based followers aren't helping. There is no reason not to cut consumption of fossil fuels--NOW.

[Divernan]

7. Rich GOP hunters will rush to kill their polar bear ASAP

"I say, Preston,old chap, a group of us from Houston are scheduling a trophy hunting trip to Alaska next week. If you still need a polar bear rug for your game room, do send Buffy off to a spa for the week and join us."

[gulfcoastliberal]

11. That made me LOL at our doom.

Thanks.

[LWolf]

10. I see a couple of concerns here:

reduction of polar bear habitat can endanger them as a species and/or push them closer to people in greater numbers, which is also not a great idea.

I think global warming is well under way; I'm not sure there is a way to stop it. What's the solution?

[lostnfound]

12. An NRDC postcard of 2 polar bears on a small floe is on my wall at work

It's a great way to spark a conversation about global warming.

I'm thinking I will add the map picture also.

[klook]

13. More left-wing propaganda

I've seen the polar bears playing around in those Coca-Cola commercials. They don't look like they're drowning to me!

:sarcasm:

[montana500]

14. lol nm

[Robert Cooper]

15. They swim out trusting nature will provide...

...them with the ice floes they need to live.

They swim and swim, in search of ice.

And finally they reach a point of exhaustion and still no ice.

They panic in the rough seas, straining desperately for some safe ice to rest on.

Then they drown, too far out to return, too confused to understand where the ice went.

They just don't know we don't care whether they drown or not, that it is more important for industry to keep people employed within a tight budget than to protect their environment.

And there's not a thing we can do to reverse the process fast enough.

Next time you vote, will the panic of the polar bears count for more than tax cuts?

[The Stranger]

16. So well put.

So well put.

[Ladyhawk]

18. Agreed. And sadly, most people don't give a shit about the bears. n/t

[The Stranger]

19. Here's a better link:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1938132,00.html

Polar bears drown as ice shelf melts

Will Iredale

SCIENTISTS have for the first time found evidence that polar bears are drowning because climate change is melting the Arctic ice shelf.
The researchers were startled to find bears having to swim up to 60 miles across open sea to find food. They are being forced into the long voyages because the ice floes from which they feed are melting, becoming smaller and drifting farther apart.

Although polar bears are strong swimmers, they are adapted for swimming close to the shore. Their sea journeys leave them them vulnerable to exhaustion, hypothermia or being swamped by waves.

According to the new research, four bear carcases were found floating in one month in a single patch of sea off the north coast of Alaska, where average summer temperatures have increased by 2-3C degrees since 1950s.

[faithnotgreed]

20. love kick