Love in the time of climate change: Grizzlies and polar bears are now mating

WAPO ^ | May 23, 2016 | Adam Popescu

[PROCON]

BARROW, Alaska — Most Alaskans and Canadians have a bear story — tales of fearsome grizzlies, even polar bears. But a mix of the two?

They’re known as pizzlies or grolars, and they’re a fusion of the Arctic white bear and their brown cousins. It’s a blend that’s been turning up more and more in parts of Alaska and Western Canada.

Last week, a strange-looking bear was shot by a hunter in Nunavut, a remote territory that curves around Canada’s Hudson Bay. Its head was large, like a grizzly’s, but its fur was white. The bear’s genetics were not tested, but Arctic researchers seem unified in their analysis: It’s a polar-grizzly mix. A hybrid.

[PROCON]

Polar bears are marine mammals; grizzlies are terrestrial. But as the Arctic warms, sea ice is shrinking and the tundra is expanding. And the bears’ disparate populations are meeting, mating and creating a new breed that’s capable of reproducing.

There you have it, man-made gorebull warming causes cross-breeding.

[BenLurkin]

I have a hunch these new fangled critters are nasty muthas.

[Dr. Sivana]

I hope the grizzly was the dad. I cannot picture a happy marriage the other way.

[elcid1970]

If the genetic mix of brown bear & polar bear produces fertile offspring, doesn’t that mean they belong to the same species?

Mules are not fertile, after all.

[KC_Lion]

Alaska Ping

[rockinqsranch]

So BS means Bear Sh—!? Learn something new everday.

[MeganC]

Okay liberals: Why can’t bears in interspecies relationships love the way they want to love without being judged? Don’t they deserve to have the same dignity and respect as bears who only love bears who look just like themselves?

[justa-hairyape]

Or as the region gets colder, which it is, the polar bears can travel further south. Bet these researchers never even addressed that possibility.

[Defiant]

Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

[Pearls Before Swine]

Urine miscagenation. Blame it on climate change.

[dfwgator]

Haven’t you heard that song by Loverboy, “A Pig and an Elephant DNA Just Won’t Splice”

[RightOnTheBorder]

I believe Polar bears are actually larger and more aggressive than Grizzlies.

[JBW1949]

Great point...

[Defiant]

I’m not familiar with that one, and it sure doesn’t sound catchy.

[dfwgator]

South Park reference.

[sipow]

This can only lead to one thing...

ManBearPig!!!!

I’m super cereal about this.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This always happened. They’re just pretending that it is new.

[Maceman]

Don’t they deserve to have the same dignity and respect as bears who only love bears who look just like themselves?

No. They deserve MORE dignity and respect for being inclusive and embracing diversity.

Obviously, you need to be re-educated. Report to Room 101 immediately, Citizen.

[Defiant]

I’m way behind on my South Park.

[StAntKnee]

They're calling it either a plzzly or a grolar. Neither name does justice. My gut tells me this mutant is going to be dumber and more vicious than either of the pure species alone. Ought to name it the Hildabeast.

Oh, wait . . .