US EditionPolar Bears Act as Crucial Providers for Arctic Scavenger Species, Study Shows
Polar bears leave 7.6 million kilograms of prey leftovers yearly, supporting diverse Arctic scavengers, but climate change threatens this vital food source, researchers warn.
- On October 28, a study in Oikos found polar bears supply 7.6 million kilograms of carrion across the Arctic, supporting diverse Arctic scavengers.
- During their yearly hunting peak, polar bears kill roughly one ringed seal every three to five days, providing about 1,000 kilograms per year and leaving roughly 300 kilograms per bear as carrion.
- At least 11 vertebrate species are known to benefit, including arctic foxes, gulls, ravens and occasionally snowy owls, wolves and grizzly bears, researchers found.
- The team calculates that documented declines in two polar bear subpopulations have already cost scavengers 323,000 kilograms of carrion per year, and Arctic warming is reducing bear numbers.
- This research demonstrates that apex predators act as a critical link in marine-to-terrestrial energy transfer, and melting sea ice may reduce scavengers' access, highlighting urgency for conservation efforts to protect polar bears and the broader Arctic ecosystem.
20 Articles
20 Articles
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Ju-young = The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), the top predator in the Arctic ecosystem, kills and leaves behind 760,000 carcasses every year...
There are between 22,000 and 26,000 polar bears in the world, distributed throughout the Arctic. Some subpopulations, especially those of the Beaufort Sea and Hudson Bay...
Polar bears act as crucial providers for Arctic scavenger species, study shows
A new study published in the journal Oikos reveals for the first time the critical role polar bears play as carrion providers for Arctic species. Researchers from University of Manitoba and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, alongside researchers from Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the University of Alberta, have estimated that polar bears leave behind approximately 7.6 million kilograms of their prey annually, creating a massive and v…
Polar bears sustain arctic scavengers with millions of kilograms of food each year
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 29, 2025 A study published in Oikos highlights polar bears as a cornerstone species for arctic scavengers, showing that their annual hunting activities supply about 7.6 million kilograms of carrion to the region. Researchers from the University of Manitoba, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the University of Alberta found that when polar bears hunt seals on sea i
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
