Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 11/25/2007 - 16:25
Forums
Antarctic Ice Sheet Studies

I've been to Antarctica--absolutely the most incredible place in this world!!

While we were there, I wondered why the polar bears couldn't be moved to the Antarctic for protection from the warming. Our class in Springfield, MO would love to know the answer.

We wish you the best while in Antarctica.  Enjoy those penguins!

Jan Bower 

Tue, 11/27/2007 - 19:09

Brandon Gillette

Thank you for the great question, and I'll see what I can do to answer it.  While the idea of moving polar bears to the anarctic sounds like a novel idea, I'm not sure it's that simple.  First of all, global warming is happening across the globe, hence the name.  Second, and probably most important is how and what polar bears eat.  Polar bears go months without eating and then in the early spring head out to the sea ice to find breathing holes where they can catch seals.  The problem is becoming that the ice is too thin to support the bears, and therefore they do not have a stable platform from which to hunt.While it seems logical to move the bears down south where there seems to be more ice, you can't forget that the seals live underwater.  The bears would still have to venture out onto the sea ice which is where the problems lie up north as well.  They would still have to have a stable platform to hunt from, and the ice in antarctica is thinning as well.
I'm sure there is more science behind all of this, but sitting here in the hotel room, that is the best that I can do.  I will check around once I make it to McMurdo and see if anyone can provide a more scientific based answer.  Thank you for your question and keep following along!
~Brandon