“[S]ea ice loss did not lead to a reduction in BC [body condition] among adult BS [Barents Sea] bears. Rather, after around 2000…both males and females of different reproductive categories increased in body condition for the following two decades.” — Aars et al., 2026
Thick sea ice is not a necessary condition for polar bear health and survival.
As local residents regularly observe, today polar bears successfully hunt bearded seal “when sea ice is absent.”
They also routinely feed on harbour seals, walrus, and reindeer throughout the summer.
Consequently, despite the expectation that a reduction in sea ice would harm polar bear populations, not only has the body condition (BC) of Svalbard bears improved since 2000, “the population has been increasing” for the last 50 years.
Interestingly, Svalbard polar bears – especially males – in the colder northern regions with thicker sea ice are in worse body condition (shown in blue) than bears in the warmer southern regions (red).
For once, Kenneth Richard reports a paper reasonably accurately.
But WUWT already did it, just 4 days ago.
Only reasonably?
He usually does..
Yes, there was an article 4 days ago. So what?
This one goes deeper into the topic.
Given the alarmist claims, more than one article is needed to offset AI internet reference collection.
It’s okay, the deluded youth corp with all those polar bear T shirts won’t notice and their money was already pocketed.
Surely not? Another inconvenient truth?
We never said the bears…it’s the seals that will die ’cause of climate change./s
Arctic ice extent increased from 1940 until the mid 1970s so the decline is only an artifact of the start date. Arctic ice extent trend from 2007 to 2025 is now zero.
1000 years ago during the medieval warm period, Vikings colonised Greenland and farmed last that is permafrost today so we know for a fact the arctic was warmer back then.
following the MWP was the little ice age, which at its peak was brutally cold, crops failed, starvation was widespread, glaciers advanced rapidly and. arctic ice extent increased massively.
around the late 1600s, the LIA peaked and the planet has warmed sporadically ever since. All mostly natural with many historical precedents.
this has happened after the last 4 interglacials where temperature was up to 4c hotter than today and seas 7-9 metres higher than today.
Arctic ice extent today is probably about the same as it was in 1940.
“Arctic ice extent today is probably about the same as it was in 1940.”
Pretty much what the Russians think
Arctic sea ice is probably in about the top 5-10% of the last 10,000 years..
LOTS of sea ice up there.
Why would Polar Bears and Seals want thicker ice? You know how complicated it is to make a hole in a 1m thick ice pack.
Just ask an ice fisherman for confirmation.
The idea that polar bears “need” sea ice has always been moronic.
Polar bears evolved to eek out survival in brutally cold conditions, they never “required” such conditions to survive.
The only real threat ever faced by polar bears was overhunting by humans. Once laws were established to protect them from that, they flourished, “global warming” be damned.
Story Tip: Live Science BS-ing about polar bears https://www.livescience.com/animals/polar-bears/grim-photo-captures-polar-bear-mom-and-cubs-resting-in-mud-in-summer-heat
…and your point is?
Absolutely NOTHING GRIM about that picture.
PBs often sleep on shore in summer and winter, and love mud.
This is perfectly natural behaviour.