Bears to swim to survive

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A polar bear swam without rest for nine days, covering a total of 687 km until you find a block of ice resting for awhile.
According to scientists who study bears live in the North of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, it is possible that animals have developed this extreme resistance to climate change.
Bears known polar swimming between shelves continent of ice in the seal hunt. And now, melting ice forces bears to swim distances, endangers their health and future generations.
In the study, published in the journal polar biology documented geological researchers United States is the first evidence of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) swimming for great distances.
"This bear swam continually 232 hours". "Excavated 687 km of water at a temperature between 2 ° and 6 ° C," said George M. Durner zoologist.
"We were surprised that an animal who spends most of his time on the ice surface can swim continuously in waters so cold". "Is a very striking feature," he added.
Travel
Whereas in the past there were bears swimming in open water, the first time there is a whole trip.
Tracking with precision movements over a period of two months, researchers placed a GPS to a bear.
In this way, scientists can determine when was in the water and what temperature if it was.
The study showed that the trip was possible but had a price for the animal.
"This individual lost 22% of their body fat and Cub of the year," said Durner.
Dark
You said the researcher for the BBC, in the Beaufort Sea conditions are more and more difficult to bear.
In previous decades before 1995, the ice in the summer on the continental shelf and persists in the Beaufort Sea.
"This distances and cost for bears to swim between isolated ice or ice blocks and the relatively low continent."
A "wide fusion which now seems to be typical of summer in the Beaufort Sea, has increased the cost of swimming bears," explained Durner.
Bears live within the Arctic circle. Diet, which consists of oceladas seals and is rich in calories - allows you to survive in cold temperatures.
Bears hunted their prey in sea ice: a Habitat that changes depending on temperature.
"This ice unit makes it potentially one of mammals increased risk of extinction running by climate change", said the researcher.
Red list of the International Union for conservation of nature contains the polar bear and vulnerable species climate change as a "significant threat" draws its Habitat.
BBC

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