‘Devastating changes’ in the Arctic

POLAR bears, seals and walruses are among a host of wildlife being hit by “devastating changes” brought on by warming temperatures in the Arctic, scientists warned yesterday.

Rising temperatures, retreating ice and less snow cover as a result of climate change means the Arctic “as we know it” could soon be a thing of the past, the international team of researchers said.

Loss of habitat is leading to declining populations of polar bears, Pacific walruses, ringed and hooded seals, narwhals and ivory gulls, which all depend on the ice for hunting, breeding or avoiding predators. Many young polar bear cubs are dying when the lairs under the snow in which they are born collapse in unusually early spring rains, while pollution may be affecting their ability to cope with changes to their habitat.