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Biodiversity: polar bears are in danger
Tuesday February 27 is International Polar Bear Day. An animal that has become a symbol, which is threatened by the melting of the ice floes, as journalist Hugo Capelli explains on the set of 20 Heures.
(France 2)
Tuesday February 27 is International Polar Bear Day. An animal that has become a symbol, which is threatened by the melting of the ice floes, as journalist Hugo Capelli explains on the set of 20 Heures.
Scientists are pessimistic about the future of the polar bear. “According to a new study, polar bears are in danger. (…) It is on the ice floe that they hunt and feed mainly on seals. But it is melting more and more quickly”, indicates journalist Hugo Capelli, on the set of 20 Heures, Tuesday February 27. Result : “In summer, they can no longer move normally. They have to swim between pieces of ice, which requires a lot of energy, tires them and they have difficulty finding their prey,” continues the journalist.
Bears approach humans to feed
Polar bears are therefore pushed to move closer to homes. “It is a fairly recent phenomenon. (…) What they are looking for is to eat, but it is not without risk for the inhabitants who can be attacked. These bears measure up to 3 meters and can weigh up to 600 kilos”specifies Hugo Capelli. “With warming, the sea ice is melting in the Arctic and could completely disappear in summer within ten years,” he states. This is why the 26,000 polar bears are included on the list of endangered species.
