Plight of the Polar Bears (is a move to the south pole feasible)

Worztron

Hello.

First off, I know this is extreme but I'd like other peoples opinion on this.

In recent years the polar bears are finding it more and more difficult to survive in the north pole due to melting ice. It would be terrible if the polar bear became extinct in the wild just like the Oryx and many other species.

Would it be feasible to move some or all polar bears to the south pole? I know that the Arctic is a frozen ocean and that the polar bears get most food by grabbing seals that come up for air through ice holes – maybe the polar bears would adapt to a new environment (it certainly is better than them drowning or starving to death due to long gaps between floating ice). It is just a thought. I am wondering though how the penguins would cope.

The Sweeper

Worztron wrote: »

It is just a thought. I am wondering though how the penguins would cope.

Probably similarly to how you would cope if someone brought an apex predator into your home.

Zapperzy

I would imagine it would completely upset the ecosystem there and probably cause the extinction of other species. How exactly would they be moved anyways? A nice thought but completely unfeasable I would say.

golden8

Nice idea, but when the apex predator is in danger of extinction it generally means the whole environment is in danger, so where do you start. We can all try our best and be as environmentally minded as possible. The melting ice is due to global warming.

Worztron

Zapperzy wrote: »

I would imagine it would completely upset the ecosystem there and probably cause the extinction of other species.

Nature has a way of balancing itself out in time. I don't know of any animal species (baring humans and their utter stupidy) that has wiped out another animal species (albeit I know this would be an unique situation).

Feargal as Luimneach

Worztron wrote: »

Nature has a way of balancing itself out in time. I don't know of any animal species (baring humans and their utter stupidy) that has wiped out another animal species (albeit I know this would be an unique situation).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_tree_snake
The Brown tree snake was accidently introduced to the Island of Guam and since caused the extinction of practically all the native bird species there:(.
Along with habitat destruction accidental introductions of non-native species to eco-systems is the major cause of animal extinctions.

Look at the effect the introduction of the Red Fox (by Fox hunters) has had to native wildlife in Australia.

The introductions of Polar bear to Antartica would had a catastrophic effect on flightless ground nesting birds like penguins. Breeding colonies would be soon eradicated.:(

kylith

Worztron wrote: »

Nature has a way of balancing itself out in time. I don't know of any animal species (baring humans and their utter stupidy) that has wiped out another animal species (albeit I know this would be an unique situation).

The Stephen's Island wren, the planet's only flighless perching bird was completely wiped out by one pet cat.

scudzilla

So Polar Bears are in danger and could go extinct, all because of us and global warming.

As we're the root of the problem why can't we just drop a few dead cows into there habitat. That'd solve it

The Sweeper

Cows? Cows are diet food. They'd starve eating cows. Most adult polar bears eat mostly the skin and blubber of the seals they kill, because you need a lot of calories to maintain that big a bear in that cold a climate.

What we COULD do to help the polar bear is closely monitor the population, make an effort not to pollute their habitat further with oil and gas exploration (and the accidents and pollution that automatically follow such exploration) - we can't halt global warming, we just have to try and survive that - and work on policing the international market on poached polar bear products, shoot poachers on sight and pay for an extensive polar bear habitat police / naturalist force to protect and monitor the population.

In sub-zero temperatures in one of the most inhospitable continents on the planet where you can't even erect a permanent base station because it'll float away...

Worztron

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_tree_snake
The Brown tree snake was accidently introduced to the Island of Guam and since caused the extinction of practically all the native bird species there:(.
Along with habitat destruction accidental introductions of non-native species to eco-systems is the major cause of animal extinctions.

Look at the effect the introduction of the Red Fox (by Fox hunters) has had to native wildlife in Australia.

The introductions of Polar bear to Antartica would had a catastrophic effect on flightless ground nesting birds like penguins. Breeding colonies would be soon eradicated.:(

Point taken.

Worztron

kylith wrote: »

The Stephen's Island wren, the planet's only flighless perching bird was completely wiped out by one pet cat.

Point taken.