Arctic is a territory that is most affected by global climate change.
This happened due to its geographical position, navigation, passing trading routes, excessive fishing, mining, oil and gas exploration, anthropogenic pollutants and discharge of plastic into ocean waters.
Scientists are increasingly stating that the Arctic heats up faster than the rest of the continents.
According to forecasts, the white bears living here, listed in the red list of the International Nature Conservation Union (MSOP), may lose their usual habitat and encounter the threat of disappearance if the melting of ice in the Arctic continues.
Participants in the 3rd Turkish Arctic Scientific Research Expedition during their mission have observed the habitat of polar bears.
The expedition was held under the patronage of the Administration of the President of Turkey with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Technology in cooperation with the Institute of Polar Research Tübi̇tak (Kare).
Studies confirm that viruses and bacteria will increasingly penetrate the habitat of white bears due to the melting of glaciers. This, in turn, can lead to a reduction in their number.
Ice melting also deprives the bears of the opportunity to get food in the winter, young individuals and adult females are especially vulnerable. They are forced to change the diet, abandoning the usual hunting for seals.
In an interview with Anadol, the coordinator of the 3rd Turkish Arctic Scientific Research Expedition Burdju Lake noted that there are very significant differences between the Arctic and Antarctic.
“Antarctica is a continent surrounded by oceans, and the Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents. But this is not the only difference between two polar regions. There are serious differences between creatures living in the Arctic in Antarctica. A dominant look in the south of Penguins, and In the north – white bears, ”she explained.
According to her, the peculiarity of the fauna in Antarctica is that she is absolutely not afraid and does not even pay attention to a person. In the Arctic, this is not at all the case, she noted.
Ozse also pointed out the importance of sea ice for the survival of white bears.
According to her, white bears can “travel on sea ice” and hunt fish in the ocean. “In other words, white bears support their lives in those places where the sea ice factor and fish are present. This suggests that the population of white bears is on the verge of extinction,” the scientist warned.