Adult male polar bear walking

Declines in sea ice extent in the Arctic are impacting multiple facets of northern ecosystems. Loss of sea ice has significantly changed the way wildlife and people can access those ecosystems. Here, we talk with federal and state biologists about how declines in sea ice in the Chukchi Sea region are changing the way they must study the health and status of polar bear populations.

Polar bears are found throughout the circumpolar Arctic and roam across miles of sea ice and land. They prefer to eat blubber, especially from seals that are also found on the sea ice. However, the sea ice habitat of polar bears is changing rapidly with substantial recent declines in the extent of sea ice in the Arctic. These changes are leading polar bears to spend more time on land in some areas...