The receding ice mass is coinciding with the disappearance of ice from both the Northwest Passage, above North America, and the Northeast Passage, above Russia. U.S. officials flying over the region for a whale survey on August 19 observed nine polar bears swimming in the open ocean in the Chukchi Sea.
The bears were 25 to 105 km. off the Alaska coast, but some were swimming north, apparently toward the polar ice edge, almost 650 km. away. Polar bears have been known to swim up to 160 km., but are at risk of drowning from the ordeal.
“This season further reinforces the strong negative trend in summer sea ice extent observed during the past 30 years," said a spokesman for the Center. Because the Arctic is a key factor in stabilising global climate, scientists say the melting ice demands an immediate, global response to curb climate change.
October 2008
