I have previously written about polar bears and their dependence upon Arctic sea ice for survival, as so vividly illustrated by this video photographed by Adam Ravetch of Arctic Bear Productions.
Equally at home in the sea and on land and with no natural predators (other than man), these magnificent, intelligent animals have long been the “rulers”, and symbol, of the Arctic. But just as they have ruled the Arctic they are also a captive of the Arctic environment, dependent upon the intricate synchronization between the Arctic seasons and the life-cycles of other Arctic wildlife, primarily ringed seals.
As a result of man-caused climate change the arctic sea ice critical for the polar bears survival is rapidly disappearing. We are now past the point where the melting can be reversed, or even stopped. As the rate of environmental change is so rapid, it will be impossible for the polar bears, and other Arctic wildlife to adapt.
Rather than being a symbol of dominance over a harsh environment, it appears that the fate of polar bears is to become a symbol of extinction due to man-caused climate change. Mr. Ravetch’s stunning video is an elequent statement on the plight of polar bears. It should also serve as as a powerful warning about the plight of mankind in a rapidly changing climate.
________________________________________
See more examples of Mr. Ravetch’s remarkable Arctic films at arcticbearproductions.com.
