North Pole

This mother polar bear and her two cubs are headed down to the sea ice in the Svalbard archipelago. She’ll have to teach them to hunt seals, their primary prey, in a changing landscape.

Svalbard’s polar bears persist as sea ice melts — but not forever

July 21, 2022Climate Change

Polar bears are “plastic,” meaning they’re designed to be responsive to shifting living conditions. But as sea ice continues to melt, the clock is ticking on how long they can survive.

Wind patterns in the ice pack that covers the Arctic Ocean north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on March 18, 2011.

Sea ice has hit new record lows at both poles

March 22, 2017Science