Body condition among Svalbard Polar bears Ursus maritimus during a period of rapid loss of sea ice.

ABSTRACT: Polar bears are only found in Arctic areas with sufficient access to sea ice and seals on which they prey. Studies have highlighted negative effects on condition and demographics in areas where sea ice cover is declining due to warmer climate, but condition of the Barents Sea polar bear population have not been examined yet. Loss of sea ice rate has been considerably higher here than in other areas with polar bears. We investigated variation in body condition index (BCI) among 770 adult bears, 1188 captures, in March-May 1995-2019, in Svalbard, Norway (western part of the Barents Sea). We assessed how intrinsic (female reproductive state, age) and both males and females, BCI declined until 2000, but increased afterwards, during a period with rapid loss of sea ice. In models including sea i

SUBMITTER: Aars J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12855275 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature