Retreating Arctic sea ice shifting polar bear denning behaviors

A new study shows polar bears in northern Alaska are denning on land a lot more than they used to. Male polar bears don't hibernate, but pregnant females hole up in the winter to give birth to cubs in a protected environment. The report points to rapid sea ice retreat in the Arctic as the likely cause of the shift in their choice of den sites. We spoke with one of the report authors, Tony Fischbach.Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage

• USGS Press Release
• Report Abstract (full report costs $32)

Photos provided by Tony Fischbach, Wildlife Biologist at the USGS Alaska Science Center