Polar Bears Feed by Hunting Openings in the Ice for Seals and Other Prey in the Water

Polar Bears

Polar bears feed by hunting openings in the ice for seals and other prey in the water. So as sea ice has disappeared, polar bears have had to look elsewhere to find food. There have been lots of reports of starving polar bears wandering across Canada searching for food in dumping grounds. Even if polar bears do find food in garbage dumps, they are not getting the proper nutrition and thus cannot thrive as a species. Polar bears are in danger. Polar bears probably are one of the most endangered species right now. We're already seeing impacts on their habitat, and they're really restricted pretty much to sea ice. That's their habitat, and it has melted significantly over the last decade. If sea ice continues to diminish, polar bears could also disappear very quickly. Penguins

Global warming harms some types of penguins. The rapid melting of sea ice is a main reason that animals in the polar regions are most affected by even slight warming. The types of penguins that hunt for food in the open ocean are doing okay, but the penguin species that feed by dropping off the ice shelves, like the Adelie and the Emperor penguins, are declining. Spending more time in the open ocean hunting for food also leaves these penguins susceptible to predators. Emperor penguins also need ice to breed. If the ice is not solid enough for them to walk across it, they will not be eligible to breed and produce more babies. Jellyfish

A jellyfish swims in the Mediterranean Sea. Global warming is beneficial to some species of jellyfish. Several species of jellyfish have seen their ranges expand as northern waters have become warmer. There have been expanding numbers of jellyfish reported by fisherman. Shorter cold seasons and longer warm ones are beneficial to their populations. Jellyfish can bother swimmers. They also have taken over other creatures' habitats, eating their food and affecting populations of fish including salmon and flounder. Orcas (Killer Whales)

Orcas benefit from global warming. When the ocean is not covered in ice, they have more hunting grounds and the Arctic ocean becomes a giant buffet for the killer whale

They have been arriving in Canada in growing numbers to feed on belugas, seals and narwhals. Warmer temperatures make it easier for the whales to hunt because their prey is less likely to climb onto sea ice or hide below it to escape.

The arrival of killer whales in new habitats can have a devastating impact on already endangered animals in that region, such as beluga whales. Orcas are very adaptable to their new environments and will feed on whatever is available to them.