Posted on 08/26/2008 11:45:48 AM PDT by Raineygoodyear
An aerial survey by government scientists in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea has recently found at least nine polar bears swimming in open water – with one at least 60 miles from shore – raising concern among wildlife experts about their survival. Geoff York, the polar bear coordinator for WWF's Arctic Programme, said that when polar bears swim so far from land, they could have difficulty making it safely to shore and are at risk of drowning, particularly if a storm arises. “To find so many polar bears at sea at one time is extremely worrisome because it could be an indication that as the sea ice on which they live and hunt continues to melt, many more bears may be out there facing similar risk,” he said. “As climate change continues to dramatically disrupt the Arctic, polar bears and their cubs are being forced to swim longer distances to find food and habitat.” Scientists say the Arctic is changing more rapidly and acutely than anywhere on the planet, noting that 2007 witnessed the lowest sea ice coverage in recorded history. Satellite images indicate that ice was absent in most of the region where the bears were found on August 16, 2008, and some experts predict this year’s sea ice loss could meet or exceed the record set last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Could also be that is where the fish are.
Maybe the bears have finally had enough of being so darned cold all the time, and they are heading for warmer climes...
Does anyone believe “To ever thing there is a season?” Otherwise, wouldn’t dinosaurs still be walking around? Don’t mean to sound as if I don’t care, but some things just become extinct.
While in the water they paddle with their front feet, and use the hind feet as rudders. They can swim at a speeds of 4-6 mph and paddle non-stop for 100 miles. Have been seen swimming several hundred miles from the nearest ice or land. While swimming, they keep their eyes open, their nostrils shut and their ears flattened to their heads. Polar bears can stay under up to 2 minutes. They are also capable of leaping out of the water 7’-8’ feet from a swimming start. They have been seen catching seals that way.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_far_can_Polar_Bears_swim
Polar bears have so much fat stored by this time of year that they would float like bobbers.
HOW CAN WE JUST SIT HERE????????????????
Nine bears and one was 60 miles out? So what? Call me when 2,000 are out swiming all at the same time, otherwise this is scientifically insignificant and no credible observations can be made. How do we know that this is abnormal behavior?
OK, I am sure no polar bear has ever done anything like this before. How about being concerned about children this much and then let’s talk about the animals. Human life is more important than animals!
The polar bears do this naturally, it’s like saying you saw me taking a long walk and you worried because it “might” mean I was lost, etc.
This polar bear stuff has been debunked again and again. They do this and the only conclusion to be drawn is they do it. The persons making these observations are probably ignorant regarding polar bears.
There was an article I think WSJ, in which the experienced naturalists at Churchill are annoyed at the enviros coming in and seeing thin polar bears which is totally normal, and then telling the world they are “discovering” effects of global warming.
Polar baers can swim as long as they need to. There is no statutory limit to the number of miles they can go.
These goofs need get out on the ice sometime and find out what is really going on.
Looks like more ice up there this year than last.
http://igloo.atmos.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/test/print.sh?fm=08&fd=25&fy=2007&sm=08&sd=25&sy=2008
Polar bears have made it to Siberia and back over the years.
Heck, apparently Indians walked across last ice age.
Such B.S.
Sorry, but I just went to a zoo with my kids this last weekend and saw the polar bear exhibit, and it said that bears can swim up to 60 miles away. Not worried.
Note to self: Look out for polar bears when swimming up to 60 miles off of coastline in the Arctic Circle.
they probably just watched the Olympics and became Phelps Phans.........
“Polar Bears Found Swimming Miles From Alaskan Coast”
Yea, they do that. Always have.
This doesn’t prove global warming. It proves Polar Bears are better swimmers than previously thought. Now the National Geographic Society can spend grant money studying something else. Isn’t that special?
Great....I hope they don’t head to FL. Sharks and gators are enough!
People around here all head to Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Cape Cod and the New Jersey shore to get in one last swim before Labor Day is over. Can’t we allow the bears to get in one last swim before the end of the summer as well?
Even if it’s normal for a polar bear - 60 miles out to sea is a LONG way!
Somehow they survived past warmer periods then today that is for sure. Adaption is an amazing thing.
Polar bears ‘thriving as the Arctic warms up’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/09/wpolar09.xml
“A survey of the animals’ numbers in Canada’s eastern Arctic has revealed that they are thriving, not declining, because of mankind’s interference in the environment.
In the Davis Strait area, a 140,000-square kilometre region, the polar bear population has grown from 850 in the mid-1980s to 2,100 today.
“There aren’t just a few more bears. There are a hell of a lot more bears,” said Mitch Taylor,a polar bear biologistwho has spent 20 years studying the animals.”
The scientific name of the polar bear is “Ursus Marinus”. Which means the “Sea Bear”. These idiots are so shallow but somehow manage to drown in their own stupidity.
Global Warming or just trying to get away from a bitchy Mrs. Polar Bear? I think I know the answer to that one.
Leave it to the Freepers to give me a good satirical laugh on a bad day...
“Even if it’s normal for a polar bear - 60 miles out to sea is a LONG way!”
Yes it is a long way - but again “they do this”. See the about Polar Bears web site below. “The polar bear can swim as far as 60 miles without resting and can swim at speeds of up to six miles an hour.”
Global Warming fanatics use these occasional sightings of bears far away from land to bolster their argument that the the polar bear domain is no more. It is simply wrong.
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/polar.htm
Batteries to their GPS receivers ran down no doubt ..... and global warming rusted their little compasses .... Oh the horror ....
Polar bears off the coast of Alaska. Big deal.
Wake me up when its *crocodiles* off the coast of Alaska.
Little things like “facts” do nothing to dissuade the Warmists in their desire to make people feel alarmed so that they can be more easily stripped of their rights and property.
It’s Ursus Maritimus, but your point is dead on. These guys can swim several hundred miles, and often do, this has nothing to do with globull warming. Do not pay attention to the agenda-driven liars and warm mongers!
Thanks!
I was fascinated by March of the Penguins and 8 Below - it’s so interesting to see how animals adapt and survive in difficult conditions.
You know, when I was kid, in the early 1950’s our Weekly Reader would have had this story and the gist of it would have been how powerful and spectacular polar bears are. It would have talked about their natural buoyancy and far they swim to find food. It never would have occurred to anyone in those days that the bears were in trouble. Now all the things that made them so remarkable in my time are taken to mean they are in danger.
I agree when it hits 2,000 give me a call.
I know wrestling is fake and all, but still, Polar Bears should not be allowed to wrestle. They are all concerned about the bears swimming but allowed the WWF to set up an Arctic Programme? I think it is ridiculous to have bears wrestling while well-intentioned enviro-morons are our out searching for distressed bears in earnest. :) When polar bears head for ANWR and start drilling for oil, give me a call, otherwise.................................
There is a lot of this on the various web sites where the population has "declined" in some specific area or harbor. Examples are...
M'Clintock Channel
Western Hudson Bay
Southern Hudson Bay
I wonder if it has crossed the minds of these keen witted experts that any reasonably intelligent creature is not going to hang around an area where they are getting their azzes shot off.
I also have a buddy out on a boat few miles off coast mapping for future oil development. He told me they see polar bear everywhere, in close, out far. all over.
Holy Knee Pads, Batman! More compliant fellation of the Gorebull One by the girly-men at JunkScience Daily.
Quelle Surprise!
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native to the Arctic Circle............
There is at least one account of a polar bear catching an Eskimo that way.
Ursus Marinus is actually a common junior synonym for ursus maritimus. It depends on whom your talking with on which term will be used. Same thing though.
Pallas, P.S. 1776. Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs, vol. 3. [18], 760, 23 pp. St Petersburg.
Your point is valid but “ursus maritimus” has many more google hits
They need to get an analog GPS.
So i see Google is the accepted reference for zoological taxa these days. I stand corrected.....just kidding. I think we all agree that polar bears LIKE to swim.
I work at a university. And one day this impressionable young freshman approached me, almost crying, telling me of how the polar bears are drowning. I had to temper my reaction realizing she had been scared by the eco-boogie-men. Without laughing, i explained to her this particular point, and the nature of the polar bear. She seemed relieved for a moment. And then with bright-eyed enthusiasm described how she was active in trying to solve Global Warming. I just sighed and realized she was to dim to make the connection that she had just been lied to. It is a religion, not a science. A cult if you will. The frothy-mouthed Al-Koolaid drinkers are quite scary, as well as dangerous, in my humble opinion.
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Good post potlatch -
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Water-Wings for dying Polar Bears and birth control for hungry deer in the suburbs -
Abortion for American blacks and open borders/free healthcare/welfare/freevies for illegal aliens
The Obama-DNC has a great job program for American black men and American women
[Good post potlatch -]
Thank you, gotta relax and have fun sometimes!!
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