Polar bears in the Barents Sea are showing resilience for now

Researchers report that a Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation maintained or regained body condition over 1995–2019 despite longer ice-free periods; scientists caution this local resilience may not hold as sea ice continues to decline.

Researchers studied a polar bear subpopulation in the Barents Sea and found that, despite decades of sea-ice loss, body condition has rebounded and then stabilized. The study used capture–mark–recapture data collected between 1995 and 2019 in the Svalbard area. Scientists emphasize this result reflects variation among populations rather than a universal trend. Experts also warn that continued sea-ice loss could still threaten polar bears in the long term. Key findings: - The study examined 770 individual polar bears sampled between 1995 and 2019 in the Svalbard/Barents Sea region. - After 2005, the region experienced roughly one month earlier ice breakup and about 100 additional ice-free days on average, yet body condition showed an initial decline followed by recovery and stabilization. - Researchers and outside experts report that bears appear to be using more land-based or alternative food sources in the area, including walruses, bird eggs, whale carcasses and, in at least one observation, a reindeer. - Scientists caution this pattern is regional: other subpopulations (for example in parts of Canada) have documented declines in condition, survival and reproduction linked to sea-ice loss. Summary: The study documents a surprising regional resilience in body condition for Barents Sea polar bears across the 1995–2019 record, even as the area experienced substantially longer ice-free seasons. Experts describe this as a localized outcome and note that the long-term outlook depends on how much more sea ice is lost; Undetermined at this time.