Naked Science Forum
General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: thedoc on 09/12/2015 10:19:28
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If polar bears were transported to Antarctica, would they thrive?
Asked by Kevin
Find out more on our podcast page (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/naked-scientists/show/20151208/)
[chapter podcast=1001229 track=15.12.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_15.12.08_1004537.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/15.12.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_15.12.08_1004537.mp3)
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We answered this question on the show...
Felicity Bedford spoke to Dr Iain Staniland from the British Antarctic Survey to find [img float=right]/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_800px-Polar_Bear_ANWR_1_02.jpg.jpg[/img]an answer to this chilly challenge...
Ian - Starving Polar bears desperately clinging to lumps of melting ice is an image that most people relate to regarding global warming and the threats to wildlife and, given their iconic status, it has even been suggested we could save the polar bear by translocating them to the Antarctic.
Felicity - But would they more successful hunting at the South Pole? Let’s drop them in and find out…
Ian - Polar bears would do very well if transplanted into the Antarctic – well at least for a few years. From a food point of view it would be polar bear heaven. In the Arctic the seals and other potential prey species have evolved lifestyles that minimises their risk of being eaten by polar bears but, in contrast, larger Antarctic animals such as seals and penguins have evolved without the risk of being eaten. Because of this the penguins are typically quite bold and inquisitive and will often approach you to have a look, and seals in the Antarctic range in behaviour from total indifference to outright aggression. For example Antarctic fur seals have a reputation for chasing and trying to bite people, and whilst this is great for tourism and researchers - well except for getting bitten obviously, it would make Antarctic wildlife the equivalent of an all you can eat buffet as far as Polar bears are concerned. The most obvious effect of putting polar bears into the Antarctic would be a catastrophic decline in the seal and penguin populations and some very fat and happy bears.
Felicity - So far so good for the polar bears, although news isn’t so good for the penguins. Are there any other benefits for polar bears in Antarctica?
Ian - Given that most of the industrialised nations are in the northern hemisphere and are encircling the Arctic, it’s no surprise that polar bears are basically being poisoned by their food. The remoteness of Antarctica and its greater separation from these sources of pollution means that whilst such toxins abound in the environment, the levels are currently much less significant.
Felicity - Plenty of food and less pollution. This all sounds too good to be true..
Ian - But it’s not all good news for the Polar bears, there are also several less obvious factors that come into play. There’ll be many unknowns such as the risk of the bears of the exposure to new diseases, and then what would happen when the bears have eaten all the seals and penguins? History teaches us that animal translocations often have unpredictable results and so it’s probably best that polar bears and penguins only meet on badly designed Christmas cards.
Felicity - Thanks Ian. I’m sure all penguin lovers will agree, the solution to Polar bear conservation lies in protecting their Arctic habitat, not moving them south.
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Polar Bears would eat Penguins for breakfast.
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And lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper!
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After the entree, then its time to drive the seals to extinction....
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Only polar antibears would thrive in antarctica.
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We discussed this question on our show
Felicity Bedford spoke to Dr Iain Staniland from the British Antarctic Survey to find an answer to this chilly challenge...
[Transcript to follow...]
Click to visit the show page for the podcast in which this question is answered. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/naked-scientists/show/20151208/) Alternatively, [chapter podcast=1001229 track=15.12.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_15.12.08_1004537.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) listen to the answer now[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/15.12.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_15.12.08_1004537.mp3)
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Unintended consequences is they would become bipolar bears.
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Penguins have been relocated north ...
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Humboldt+Penguins+%28Spheniscus+humboldti%29+in+the+Northern+Hemisphere.-a0165779778
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Polar bears can live in Antarctic, and they can be regulated with hunters. Polar bears are much more useful prey that penguins.
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I have to agree that polar bears would probably do fine in Antarctica, but penguins would go extinct and the seal & walrus populations would be depleted. Could they be contained, via constant monitoring and kept within limited ranges? Seems very dangerous. The penguin rookeries and their routes to shore would need to be kept bear-free. Once the penguins are in the water, the only predators they'd need to worry about are Orca & sharks. Polar bears would be prey to Orca, too.
Seems too risky, but good effort! We need to find some way to save the Polar Bear.
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Why do we always want to interfere with evolution? polar bears have evolved to suit the artic climate if the climate changes the bears will go that's how nature works, if conservationist had their way we would be knee deep in dinosaurs!
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That is not an issue for polar bear, they love cold!
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Polar Bears would eat Penguins for breakfast.
I didn't think they could get the wrappers off.
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Extinction events happen. If we help them along that is a reflection upon our selfish nature as a species. I very much doubt that we have the capability to stop a mass extinction event. Since we may be actively participating in it.
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Why wont they thrive in Antarctica now ? They had plenty of time for that.
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Extinction events happen. If we help them along that is a reflection upon our selfish nature as a species. I very much doubt that we have the capability to stop a mass extinction event. Since we may be actively participating in it.
Is an extinction level event, ELE, that has its cause directly linked to human involvement, truly be an event that just "happens"? Many species have fallen to the hand of man. Humans are responsible for the extinction of several species from over harvesting, developmental encroachment, greed, etc.: The Dodo, Great Auk, Carolina Parakeet, Bush wren, New Zealand quail, Piopio, Chantham fernbird, Chatham bellbird, Haast's eagle, Laughing owl, Mederian owl, Dusky seaside sparrow, Stephens island wren, and last but not least the passenger pigeon.
“Men still live who, in their youth, remember pigeons; trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a few decades hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know.” — Aldo Leopold, “On a Monument to the Pigeon,” 1947
With the advances in cloning research, should we resurrect the past? Do we have the obligation, let alone the right, to undo the ignorance of our ancestors? I lack the wisdom to even attempt to answer these questions.