Could reindeer be slowing climate change?
As the climate warms and permafrost thaws, some tundra dwellers might be helping cool the planet. By grazing heavily and decreasing the height and prevalence of ...
Arctic
Emerging pollutants present serious risk to polar bears, study finds
For years, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) has been the posterchild of climate change, but recent research reveals that the species also faces a serious threat ...
High levels of mercury found in Alaska’s Arctic shorebirds
Coupled with threats such as habitat destruction and climate change in Alaska’s Arctic, high levels of mercury discovered recently in shorebirds could create ...
Are polar bears changing their diet?
Deep in the Western Hudson Bay, populations of bearded seals are declining. As polar bears prey on these seals, researchers wonder how similar changes in prey ...
Muskox Populations Expand in Western Hudson Bay
There were miles and miles of rolling hills, wetlands so clear you could see fish in the lake from the plane and shrubby tundra with patches of green. Rocky areas ...
Warm Arctic Weather Could Be Shrinking Butterflies
Butterfly size may be affected by warming Arctic temperatures, according to a new study. “Our studies show that males and females follow the same pattern and it ...
TWS Member: Hudson Bay Polar Bears Could Survive Ice Melt
Polar bears in the western Hudson Bay may be able to survive the ice melt, according to a new prediction model. “We do know that bears eat on land,” said Robert ...
Seabirds Bring Contaminants to Land Ecosystems: Study
Migratory seabirds carry the marine pollution they ingest at sea back to their nesting sites on land, according to a new study. “It is yet another example of ...
DDT, PCBs Could Affect Polar Bear Hormones
Sitting at the top of the food chain as the world’s largest land carnivore has its benefits. You have your choice of food and few predators to confront. But a ...
Polar bears Won’t Thrive on Land Food as Ice Melts
Polar bear populations whose main diet sources are disappearing with melting icebergs may not be able to subsist long on terrestrial food sources. “Although ...