We have all seen the pictures of the dying polar bear. Shot
by National Geographic the image has been presented as irrefutable proof that
climate change is killing off the polar bears. Never mind that we only see one
lonely bear. Never mind that we do not know why the bear was dying. It doesn’t
matter. To true believers, the polar bear instantly became a
totem, a symbol of the horrors that Donald Trump was causing to the pristine
natural world.
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Even Slate, no
right wing organ of incorrect opinion, has explained that, in the words of an
expert, polar bears die all the time. You will admit that the idea is astonishing. Even more amazing, we often do not know why. For all we know
the bear in question was dying from bone cancer. It would be difficult to blame
that one on Republicans, but perhaps the bear would have been saved by
Obamacare. Hey, you never know.
Slate reports:
For one
thing, [wildlife biologist Jeff Higdon] says, during summertime, part of the
Arctic is often ice-free. That’s due to seasonal changes, not climatic shifts.
And while it can be hard to stomach never mind witness, animals starve to death
all the time, for a million different reasons. “We may start to see more
[climate-caused starvation] over time, but at this point, there’s no evidence
I’m aware of that we’re seeing that,” Higdon adds.
Not wanting to disappoint its readers Slate adds that
climate change is killing the polar bears, though not necessarily the one we see
dying before our eyes.
Still, we can ask whether or not Slate is right? Are the
polar bears doomed because Trump walked away from the Paris Climate Accord?
Enquiring minds want to know.
The NoTricksZone blog (via Moonbattery and via Maggie’s Farm) summarizes the latest in peer reviewed science:
Most of
the world’s polar bears live in Canada. Hunters and elders from northern
Canada’s native communities have been immersed in studying polar bear ecology
for centuries.
In two
new peer-reviewed papers published in the journals Ecology and Evolution and Polar Record, scientists record the observations and experiences
of Canada’s polar bear “experts” — the community members who live side-by-side
with these “sea bears” (Ursus
maritimus).
According
to scientists, no study has indicated that there is reason to presume that the
perspectives of community observers are either suspect or incorrect. In
fact, there have been multiple occasions when traditional ecological knowledge gleaned
from local populations accurately identified polar bear subpopulation trends
before new scientific studies could be conducted to corroborate them (York et
al., 2016).
The
overwhelming conclusion from years of accumulated conversations with native populations
about polar bears is that there is almost no connection between the long-term
observations of polar bear ecology and the more recent claims that polar bears
as a species are in grave danger due to climate change and thinning sea ice.
In
fact, the long-term observations suggest that polar bear subpopulations are
currently faring quite well, with 92% of the subpopulations
studied either remaining stable or growing in recent years.
According
to Inuit observers, there may even be “too
many” bears now.
Now we can all rejoice because the polar bears are thriving.
Right?
5 comments:
This Bear (4-9, last in the NFC North) is dying of embarrassment and is pining away because Jay Cutler left. Science proves it. #NukeTheBears!
Warmenists attribute all bad (as they see it) outcomes to the Dreaded Warming. It's all they have.
I'll believe what the locals say about the bears.
Given that many of the Inuit rely on income from bear hunting (cost often exceeding $20,000/hunt) and its associated services, it's in the interest of the locals to conserve and protect that resource. Inuit live with the bears; they know what's going on.
Wait till these snowflakes see pic of a polar bear warding off starvation. That can be hard to stomach too -- but not so much for the polar bear
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