Climate change is forcing inbreeding among polar bears in the Arctic for survival: Study

Polar bears have been found to be the newest victim of climate change as a new study has found forced inbreeding among themselves as speed of ice-melting has increased in the Arctic. In a study published in the Royal Society Journals on Wednesday, polar bears have resorted to this move to ensure the survival of their species. Polar bears have a high dependence on ice, and less ice means less prey to hunt for food. 

Inbreeding follows diversity loss

The study by scientists from Norway pointed out that populations of polar bears have seen a 10% loss in their genetic diversity from 1995 to 2016, on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Climatic studies at that time accredited the loss to the rapid melting of ice in the Barents Sea that has caused serious ecological and demographic effects on animals. Earlier, the World Wildlife Fund had warned that the Barents Sea is experiencing the fastest loss of ice across the Arctic. As per the study, polar bears have become unable to conduct the activities essential to their survival as the massive loss of ice have affected their reproduction, movement and food patterns. About the inbreeding, experts believed it to be slow but have speculated its increase with time due to negative effects such as 'inbreeding depression' and with polar bears becoming more isolated because of their melting habitat. 

Another 2020 study reported by CBS News had pointed out that polar bears might be wiped out by the end of this century as climate change has forced them to change their diet along with mating challenges. They now have fewer opportunities to hunt for seals which has made them survive on birds and their eggs. Surprisingly, cases of cannibalism among polar bears due to loss of food have also significantly increased. 

Victims of climate change

Polar bears are just one of the uncountable victims of climate change that include even insects. A study published in the journal Daily Science had revealed that dung beetles will shrink by 14% in size in future due to increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Another research published in Trends in Ecology and Environment showed that warm-blooded animals including birds have resolved to "shape-shifting" in order to survive the changing environment. 

(IMAGE: UNSPLASH)