Polar Bears live in an area more susceptible to changes of climate than others. They have therefore achieved an iconic status in the discussion on climate change. Polar bears have survived previous warm inter-glacial periods over 10s of thousands of years. There is concern that if the sea-ice they rely on as a base for seal hunting is reduced below previous levels they are at risk of extinction.
The evidence suggests that before the International Agreement on Polar Bears of 1973, bear populations were much lower than today, possibly only 20% of today’s levels. This was due to unregulated “harvesting” (a euphemism for hunting).
The following map shows the sub-populations of polar bears used in analysis of populations.
This table below shows the estimates of polar bears in each population group and their status:
|
Sub-population |
Estimated Number |
Year |
Historical |
removals |
Potential maximum removals |
Observed or predicted trend |
|
Number |
Percent |
|||||
|
M’Clintock Channel |
284 |
2000 |
2(2) |
0.70 |
3 |
Increasing |
|
Norwegian Bay |
190 |
1998 |
4(4) |
1.11 |
4 |
Declining |
|
Northern Beaufort Sea |
1202 |
2006 |
29 (29) |
2.41 |
65 |
Stable |
|
Davis Strait |
2142 |
2007 |
60(65) |
2.80 |
66 |
Declining |
|
Southern Beaufort Sea |
1526 |
2009 |
44(58) |
2.88 |
81 |
Declining |
|
Lancaster Sound |
2541 |
1998 |
83(74) |
3.27 |
85 |
Declining |
|
Southern Hudson Bay |
950 |
2005 |
35(37) |
3.68 |
61 |
Stable |
|
Gulf of Boothia |
1523 |
2000 |
60(46) |
3.94 |
74 |
Stable |
|
Western Hudson Bay |
935 |
2004 |
44(45) |
4.40 |
16 |
Declining |
|
Kane Basin |
164 |
1998 |
11 |
6.71 |
15 |
Declining |
|
Baffin Bay |
1546 |
2004 |
212(217) |
13.71 |
176 |
Declining |
|
Chukchi Sea |
2000 |
1993 |
37 37(43) - Alaska, unknown. 100 to 200 in Russia |
|
Uncertain |
Declining |
|
East Greenland |
unknown |
|
58 |
|
54 |
Data deficient |
|
Viscount Melville Sound |
215 |
1996 |
5(4) |
2.33 |
7 |
Data deficient |
|
Foxe Basin |
2300 |
2004 |
101(97) |
4.39 |
108 |
Data deficient |
|
Barents Sea |
2997 |
2004 |
Not available |
|
0 |
Data deficient |
|
Kara Sea |
unknown |
|
Not available |
|
|
Data deficient |
|
Laptev Sea |
800-1200 |
1993 |
Not available |
|
|
Data deficient |
|
Arctic Basin |
Unknown |
|
Not available |
|
|
|
The above figures are based on data from IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group web site (http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/status/status-table.html#bottom) last updated in 2009. They demonstrate that for many sub-populations the information is insufficient to make a reliable estimate of numbers or to assess changes in the population. Where the data are sufficient they show that “removals” have a significant effect on the status of the population.
Updated: December 2011