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#Arctic animals are battling more #diseases in recent decades.
Living off one of the richest #oceans in the Arctic, the #PolarBears by the #ChukchiSea appear to be thriving. Females are in good health & give birth to healthy cubs. Overall, this #Alaskan population seems strong.
But blood & fecal samples are telling a different story inside the bears: There’s an emerging battle against #pathogens bears have never encountered before.
#ClimateCrisis #Wildlife #Disease
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/10/23/polar-bears-arctic-animals-disease-climate-change/
“#PolarBears are a good indicator for what's happening in the #ecosystem,” said Karyn Rode, a research #wildlife biologist at US Geological Survey's #Alaska #Science Center. “We know that #pathogens’ transmission pathways are changing, including in the #Arctic.”
In recent decades, the Arctic ecosystem has been transforming rapidly in front of our eyes. The Arctic is #warming up 4X faster than the global average.
As a result, #SeaIce is #melting faster & more dramatically in a season. Trees & plants are growing where they haven’t in recent decades.
#Wildlife is also encountering #diseases not previously seen in their lifetimes.
Stories have surfaced of #animals fighting off new diseases, & sometimes losing that fight. The #BirdFlu infected & killed a #PolarBear & #walruses in the #Arctic for the first time.