07/27/2020
If more sea ice is lost, the estimated 25,000 polar bears in the Arctic would be forced onto land and away from their food supplies for longer periods. Prolonged fasting and reduced nursing of cubs would lead to rapid declines in reproduction and survival. "But if society gets its act together," one scientist says, "we have time to save polar bears. And if we do, we will benefit the rest of life on Earth, including ourselves."
■Class discussion: Have you seen a polar bear at a zoo or on a nature program? Why is the survival of this animal important? List one major cause of climate change that melts Arctic ice, according to most scientists. Describe another impact of generally warmer global temperatures over recent decades.