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The subpopulation of polar bears in the Chukchi Sea region appears to be stable and abundant, although neighboring populations show signs of stress due to the loss of sea ice.
This conclusion stems from the first official count of animals in the region as part of a study conducted by both the University of Washington and several federal partners. Their findings were published in the November 14 issue of Scientific Reports.
The researchers found that there were about 3,000 bears in the Chukchi group, which would place him in a healthy range. They counted by tracking and marking animals north of the Seward Peninsula.
It is one of the subpopulations of the Arctic Alaska, another being the northeastern bears.
Other studies have shown that these Beaufort bears may not be able to cope with a loss of sea ice and, as a result, reduce hunting opportunities every winter.
The traditional ecological knowledge of local hunters has also been incorporated into the study to bolster the results, according to a press release published by Science Daily on Nov. 14.
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