Speaking to a packed house of inquisitive Jacksonites, Dr. Steve Amstrup, leading polar bear researcher in the United States, spoke about the plight of the polar bear and changes in the Arctic. For 25 years, Amstrup has conducted research primarily in the Beaufort Sea region off Alaska and currently serves as Research Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Alaska Science Center. Richard Buchanan, President of Polar Bears International, and Daniel Cox, a professional photojournalist and wildlife photographer, also spoke, though Amstrup stole the show. Amstrup displayed powerful slides highlighting shifts in annual sea ice cover in the Arctic region over the past 25 years, tracked largely by satellite imagery and buoy monitoring. Changes in sea ice coverage are significant for polar bears, as their livelihood is closely tied to it, but also for other species and the world.

Polar bears are the sentinel species for climate change, Amstrup said in his talk, as they are the universal symbol of the Arctic. The Arctic has been undergoing rapid changes as a result of warmer air and water temperatures and shifts in ocean circulation patterns. Polar bears are dependent on sea ice for the majority of their life cycle needs, Amstrup said, as they hunt for ringed and bearded seals their primary food sources on the ice. Some bears also dig dens in snowdrifts on the ice where they have their cubs in the fall. Although bears are adept swimmers, the ice is their true home.

In addition to decreased sea ice coverage, sea ice is breaking up and drifting into the North Atlantic earlier each year. This has forced polar bears onto land, where they are less adept hunters and are often food-deprived. Amstrup and other researchers have noticed the effect these changes are having on polar bear cub survival rate. Females are still breeding, but their cubs are not making it on to the next generation, he said. The event, sponsored by the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Richard and Valerie Beck, and Polar Bears International was designed to inspire, inform and empower listeners to make changes in their lives that will combat climate change and help protect polar bear habitat. At the end of the evening, several of acclaimed photographer Daniel Cox and one limited edition photograph were raffled off to audience members who will now have the opportunity to look at the majestic Arctic creatures from their homes.

By Melanie Stein - Planet Jackson Hole online