An Astronomical Perspective on Climate Change | Universe Today

This is perhaps the best simple explanation I have found on the subject of global warming and climate change and I think it even suggests that increased CO2 concentration is beneficial because it will eventually slow down the inevitable ice age. There is an interesting map which suggests all the most desirable real estate will be flooded in the interim, excepting, by coincidence, where I live. I can see why the Europeans are panicing, but short of building bigger dykes I cannot see how they can respond since reducing CO2 to nill emissions isn't going to stop change.

I was more upset by reading in the Toronto Star three days ago that Polar Bears are turning to canabilism because their habitat is melting so quickly, they are being stuck on ice flows and will eat anything in site, young polar bears, old polar bears, etc. Although they have been known to eat the young of a desirable female they want for themselves..

Tick

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Originally Posted by tickle

I was more upset by reading in the Toronto Star three days ago that Polar Bears are turning to canabilism because their habitat is melting so quickly, they are being stuck on ice flows and will eat anything in site, young polar bears, old polar bears, etc. Although they have been known to eat the young of a desirable female they want for themselves..

tick

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Don't get too concerned about the Polar Bears, they have been around a long time and are very adaptable. Often reports of this kind are isolated cases magnified by the media and in any case Polar Bears can swim, so they are not "stuck" so much as being opportunist. .

In fact they seem to be thriving

Canadian controversy: How do polar bears fare? | csmonitor.com

Hi paraclete.

I am not as niave as my previous post made me out to be. I am Canadian and well read on climate occurrences in our northern hemisphere. I know polar bears can swim, but they are quite lazy and don't want to put out much effort especially when they have accumulated a lot of fat for the long cold, dark winter. They will eat whatever is on the ice flow with them, be it half a dead whale or a female with cubs, or an old weak polar bear almost dead.

We have been keeping a close eye on what is happened beyond Hudsons Bay. The innuit do not paint a good picture of their food supply.

Ms tickle

Non-pack male carnivores, eat babies of their own species whenever they get the chance.One of the theories is that a female who loses her cubs may be ready to mate sooner.Another is that it decreases competition later .
Polar Bears In Depth - Polar Bears International

Here is a report from a zoo in Nuremberg. Zoo keepers were being criticized because they allowed Polar bears to eat their cubs.

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Zoo director Dag Encke said that Vilma's cubs - believed to be a pair - may have been ill and that in such cases polar bears often eat their young.

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BBC NEWS | Europe | Polar bear 'may have eaten cubs'

The reports coming from Canada are distorted .

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So far this fall, tour operators and scientists have reported at least four and perhaps up to eight cases of mature males eating cubs and other bears in the population around Churchill, Man. Four cases were reported to Manitoba Conservation; four to Environment Canada.

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TheSpec.com - CanadaWorld - Polar bears cannibalizing their young

I'm sorry ;they document a handful of cases and the press dutifully report it along with a conclusion about a cause that is at best speculative;when in fact it appears to be a natural routine of the breed.

And you wonder why I am a skeptic.

You see ;nature is a nasty place. We are used to seeing cute polar bears on Coke commercials and that warps our perception.Where I live there are a lot of black bear. Yes they look cuddly enough but when they are in my yard .I make a bee-line to my house .

I did notice it was "cases of mature males eating cubs and other bears," but no mention of hungry females devouring their young'uns. As I understand it, polar bears can be pretty hungry from fasting during summer and fall months so I'm not too alarmed that 8 male polar bears have been spotted eating their own.

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

I did notice it was "cases of mature males eating cubs and other bears," but no mention of hungry females devouring their young'uns. As I understand it, polar bears can be pretty hungry from fasting during summer and fall months so I'm not too alarmed that 8 male polar bears have been spotted eating their own.

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There was no mention of female polar bears eating their own cubs. But... it is standard practice for polar bears, within the vicinity and needing to mate, smell a female that is in estes, with cubs, eating the cubs to have the female's undivided attention. Although she still has cubs, they are not weaned for two years and stay by her side until she has given ' notice'. So, she comes in estes during the weaning process, therefore her scent is left all over the place attracting males, some may be more hungry then others. You have to realize that the mating process amongst these large carnivores takes over everything else in their environment. They will go for days without eating until pacified in their need to mate.

I have read further regarding polar bears on ice flows eating other polar bears and it isn't unusual for that to happen. The weak and old are always the first to go in the animal kingdom. It has always been reported by the innuit who saw nothing unusual about it. So it is not a phenoma of global warming. Polar bears often get stranded on ice flows.

Tick