REVISION--Polar Bears Scavenging for Garbage: A Tragic Consequence of Climate Change and Human Activity

Polar Bears Scavenging for Garbage: A Tragic Consequence of Climate Change and Human Activity

The plight of the once-abundant polar bear, foraging through garbage dumps in search of sustenance, is a tragic consequence of the pernicious combination of climate change and human activity, as evinced by the two pictures accompanying this article. Although this distressing scene serves to alert the public to the dangers that threaten these creatures, it also raises questions about the reasons why these fierce carnivores are being reduced to scavenging. In my view, the primary culprits behind the polar bears' difficulties are climate change and human activity, but feasible solutions do exist to address this situation.

Climate change, spurred by the emission of greenhouse gases from human activities and livestock production, has pushed global warming past the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, resulting in the unprecedented melting of glaciers and ice sheets. The significant loss of sea ice, which serves as a platform for polar bears to travel, hunt, breed, and feed, has left them grappling with a dearth of sustenance, plunging reproduction rates, and spiraling mortality rates. What is even more harrowing is the tragic fate that awaits polar bears as they lose their ice habitat. Despite being superb swimmers with remarkable endurance, they are ultimately driven to swim in turbulent seas before succumbing to exhaustion and drowning in the frigid waters.

Apart from climate change, the harsh existence of polar bears is attributable to human activity. As an increasing number of people migrate towards the Arctic Circle, carbon footprints and human-caused pollution continue to accelerate global warming, posing a grave threat to the bears' survival. Unfortunately, this problem is only set to worsen, as the human population is projected to surge by over 40% by 2043. The second issue is human garbage, which has become a hazardous source of sustenance for polar bears. As the bears scavenge for food at waste dumps, they are unable to distinguish food from toxic waste, ingesting non-biodegradable items such as plastic bags, straws, cutlery, polystyrene trays, and Styrofoam boxes, leading to fatalities from suffocation, poisoning, or painful intestinal obstructions. Moreover, conflicts between humans and polar bears are likely to escalate, with residents perceiving these aggressive animals as a threat to human safety and property and therefore shooting them.

Given the precarious situation facing polar bears, it is imperative that we take action to save these critically endangered animals. To begin with, each one of us must do our part in combating climate change. We can use energy-efficient appliances and opt for electric vehicles over gas-powered ones to help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Moreover, if we live close to polar bear habitats, we must establish adequate waste disposal facilities to ensure the bears do not mistake our waste for food. Most importantly, our government must take responsibility for educating the public about polar bear conservation. Humans are encroaching on the wilderness areas near the Arctic Circle, not the other way around. Therefore, we must not resort to shooting bears under the pretext of self-defense.

In conclusion, the hardship faced by polar bears is an urgent problem that demands our immediate attention. Climate change and human activity are the two main drivers of the declining polar bear population, and our insatiable greed has dealt an irreversible blow to the largest carnivorous land mammals on earth. However, with concerted efforts to protect our environment, it is still possible to witness these stocky bears ambling across the sea ice sheets, where they hunt and care for their young.