what threats still weigh on the polar bear?

“It would be dishonest to say that the polar bear is in bad shape,” recognizes Christian Kempf, Tuesday February 27, on the occasion of the international day dedicated to the species. This geographer and biologist, who has studied the polar bear for more than 50 years, has witnessed first-hand the conservation efforts carried out to save the predator of the Far North, once pushed to the brink of extinction by the trade in its pristine fur.

“Since 2015, it has been classified as a vulnerable species, but it is not in danger of extinction. explains the expert. But far from rejoicing for the future of this giant, of which the Vikings said “that he had the strength of eleven men and the cunning of twelve”, he emphasizes that its relative good health is compromised by the rapid destruction of its habitat: the ice floe. Resilient, powerful and pragmatic, the polar bear nonetheless remains the symbol of the vulnerability of biodiversity in the face of multiple human attacks. Franceinfo returns to the threats that continue to weigh on it.

Non-traditional hunting

The polar bear has already narrowly escaped extinction. In 1973, in the middle of the Cold War, an unprecedented effort by rival countries saved the day, explains Christian Kempf. “The agreement on the conservation of polar bears, signed by Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States, is the only environmental treaty signed between the Warsaw Pact countries [l’alliance militaire qui liait les pays d’Europe de l’Est avec l’URSS] and those of NATO“, he notes.

By setting up hunting quotas, the countries which shelter the species are then able to reconstitute around twenty populations spread across the Far North, with a total of 19,000 to 22,000 individuals. “Stabilization, but not progression!” underlines Christian Kempf, who assures that hunting remains an obstacle to the development of the species.

“Poaching still exists in Russia,” underlines the expert, pointing to the immensity of the territory as the main obstacle to any rigorous control. In the United States and Canada, quotas are respected, but the authorities are sometimes less careful with non-traditional hunting. “For the Inuit, bear hunting is an ancestral practice, which is part of the way of life and tradition and must, as such, be protected”.

“Unfortunately, there is tourism linked to polar bear hunting, with people approaching local communities to take advantage of their quotas.”

Christian Kempf, biologist and polar bear specialist

at franceinfo

However, unlike the peoples of the Far North, who exploit the skin, teeth, bones and sometimes even the meat of the animal, non-traditional hunting activity maintains practices “unsustainable”, according to the specialist. Illicit trade also does not spare the species: just like rhino horns or elephant tusks, bear skins are the subject of significant trafficking.

The extension of human activities on its territory

Going against the idea that bears are increasingly coming to hunt on land occupied by humans, Christian Krempf notes that on the contrary it is human activities that are increasingly taking up residence on land occupied by humans. bear. In the hamlet of Taloyoak, in the Canadian peninsula of Aviqtuuq, the Inuit experienced the establishment of mining and commercial activity.

Interviewed by the WWF in the March edition of its magazine The Circle (PDF document), dedicated to the Arctic, a local official explained how, in 1972, community elders opposed the construction of a pipeline. More than 50 years later, a protected area administered by the Inuit was created to “preserve the area from mining and gas exploration”t develop a sustainable economic activity for the community, explained its manager, Jimmy Ullikatalik.

“The United States and Canada continue to widely allow the exploitation of rare earths in the Arctic”, deplores Christian Kempf. It is also in this area that 29% of gas reserves and 13% of the world’s still unexploited oil reserves are located, the United States Geological Survey estimated in 2008. Enough to provoke desire.

Furthermore, Chinese ambitions to develop the northern trade route (a waterway that connects the North Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Russia), the development of cruises in the Arctic and the influx of Russian LNG tankers in these frigid waters increasingly threaten this fragile ecosystem, home to the polar bear and the people who depend on it. “We are of course thinking of the risk of an oil spill, even if the area is too vast for such an event to endanger the entire species”quotes Christian Kempf. “But the most serious consequences of these activities are observed in greenhouse gas emissions”, resulting from the use of fossil fuels. They are the main cause of global warming, and therefore of the melting of this sea ice.

Global warming, which forces it to adapt ever more quickly

The almost total disappearance of the sea ice in summer around 2030-2050 should be accompanied by a drop in polar bear populations by this time, according to a study published in 2020 in the journal Naturewhich looks at this threat between now and the end of the century. “We lose 90,000 km2 of sea ice every year, alert Christian Kempf. This scarcity is very serious, because even if the bears adapt to the harshest conditions, the polar climate warms up much more quickly in this region than in our country.” In 50 years, the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard has experienced an average increase in temperatures of 5°C (compared to just under 2°C for France). “We know that the bear can adapt, but can it adapt to this pace?“, asks the specialist.

“Adapting isn’t just about moving around, it’s also about adopting new hunting techniques and passing them on to the cubs, otherwise they are doomed to certain death.”

Christian Kempf, biologist and polar bear specialist

at franceinfo

Capable of walking several thousand kilometers, polar bears can also swim long distances, as in Svalbard, where the islands of the archipelago are no longer connected by ice. They also owe their resistance to their ability to fast for several months, as well as to their opportunism, continues Christian Kempf. “They are also scavengers, attracted to carcasses left behind by humans, especially in communities that practice traditional whaling“, he illustrates. Individuals “more numerous around the village [de Whale Cove] for 15 to 20 years, are generally in good health and do not appear hungry”, confirmed in the review The Circle a seasoned hunter from Hudson Bay, in the Canadian Far North. “On the other hand, they fear men less.

The quest for food having led the animal to converge towards homes, this community of fishermen had to develop a system of rounds, led by two local agents, responsible for monitoring the surroundings. In Canada, the local administration has even developed training to reinforce patrols, while operations to protect open air dumps have made it possible to secure other localities in the Far North. As for the bear’s diet, it evolves, depending on the prey it finds on its path. In Hudson Bay, American scientists are closely studying the species to find out if the increase in the share of “terrestrial” foods in its diet (such as berries or caribou carcasses) affects its ability to store the energy necessary for your lifestyle.

Pollution from the ends of the world

Don’t trust the pristine expanses of snow: the Arctic is polluted. Micropollutants transported in the air and water, via powerful marine currents, heavy metal pollution (lead, mercury, etc.), presence of eternal pollutants PFAS, pesticide residues, etc. “These substances are ingested by fish, seals feed on these fish and polar bears hunt these seals… Because it is at the top of the food chain, the polar bear is exposed to all of this”, continues the expert. Besides, “In Norway, studies have revealed that in places there are more microplastics than plankton.“Result of this toxic diet: 11% of bears in Svalbard and 8% of those in Canada are sterile.

In July, a study of Lancet Planetary Health showed that the Inuit of Ittoqqortoormiit (Greenland) “who are accustomed to consuming seal and polar bear meat” had alarming levels of PFAS in their blood, which could cause immune problems. For local communities, the protection of the polar bear is part of a logic of environmental protection, but also public health.

“If we protect the waters, Arctic char will be able to feed on healthy plankton, which means seals will feed on healthy fish, polar bears will feed on healthy seals, etc.,” explained Inuit leader Jimmy Ullikatalik. ” It’s important because a lot of our food depends on it.” And if the bear really has the strength of eleven men and the cunning of twelve, its endangerment does not bode well for the inhabitants of these territories.