In Canada’s northern regions, an escalating presence of polar bears near communities has been noted by residents over the years. The prevailing belief was that these bears, compelled by a lack of food due to diminishing sea ice, were coming ashore in search of sustenance, possibly even humans. The absence of their primary food source, ringed seal cubs dwelling on the ice, pushed the bears towards land.
However, an extensive 11-year study conducted by researchers from the University of Saskatchewan and University of Manitoba challenges this assumption. Douglas Clark, an expert from the U of S, clarified that it wasn’t just undernourished bears appearing near humans. The study revealed that the longer the bears remained off the ice, all bears of varying body conditions, ages, and genders were more likely to venture close to human settlements.
The bears’ increased interactions with people were primarily attributed to their prolonged presence on land. Clark initiated bear monitoring 15 years ago by setting up trail cameras in Wapusk National Park near Churchill, Manitoba. Parks Canada observed the bears showing interest in new field camps and aimed to ascertain if the bears were attracted to humans as potential prey.
The researchers, after compiling over a decade’s worth of data, observed more than 500 polar bear encounters, studied sea ice levels, and correlated this information with human activities nearby. Their findings, recently published in Arctic Science, revealed that the bears were not particularly interested in humans. The shrinking sea ice, a consequence of climate change, was forcing them ashore for extended durations, bringing them into close proximity with human populations.
While some bears were indeed hungry, there was no evidence to suggest they were actively hunting humans. Clark emphasized that severely malnourished adult males posed the most danger. Nutritional stress did influence their behavior, but it wasn’t the sole driver of bears interacting with communities as previously assumed.
Assistant Professor Alex Crawford from the U of M reiterated that as sea ice diminishes, polar bears are expected to spend more time near shore, increasing human interactions. However, the research team clarified that healthier bears were not more inclined to approach humans out of desperation. Starving polar bears remain a significant threat if they encounter humans, as they might seek food or view humans as potential prey.
The ongoing research project aims to monitor polar bears continuously to assess potential shifts in their behavior due to long-term alterations in habitat and food availability.