Last
stand of our wild polar bears
Dr.
Mitchell Taylor
Polar
Bear Biologist,
Department of the Environment,
Government of
Tim Flannery is one of
The evidence for climate change effects on polar bears described by Flannery is
incorrect. He says polar bears typically gave birth to triplets, but now they
usually have just one cub. That is wrong.
All research and traditional knowledge shows that triplets, though they do
occur, are very infrequent and are by no means typical. Polar bears generally
have two cubs — sometimes three and sometimes one. He says the bears' weaning
time has risen to 18 months from 12. That is wrong. The weaning period has not
changed. Polar bears worldwide have a three-year reproduction cycle, except for
one part of
One polar bear population (western
Climate
change is having an effect on the west
It is noteworthy that the neighbouring population of southern Hudson Bay does
not appear to have declined, and
another southern population (
I understand that people who do not live in the north generally have difficulty
grasping the concept of too many polar bears in an area. People who live here
have a pretty good grasp of what that is like to have too many polar bears
around.
This complexity is why so many people find the truth less entertaining than a
good story. It is entirely appropriate to be concerned about climate change, but
it is just silly to predict the demise of polar bears in 25 years based on
media-assisted hysteria.
Dr. Mitchell Taylor,