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Extra ice time fattens up polar bears
Cooler weather this summer gave two more weeks to feed,
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19 Aug 09 - "Too many cool, wet days resulted in a lousy summer -- but you won't find any polar bears complaining. The cooler-than-usual summer produced thicker ice on Hudson Bay, giving the area's polar bear population several extra days to feed on tasty ringed seals.
"This is the time of year when polar bears eat the most, and the ringed seals are so full of fat and energy," said Daryll Hedman, the northeast regional wildlife manager for Manitoba Conservation.
"Hedman said polar bears stay on the Hudson Bay ice for as long as possible so they can feed, adding this year the ice was so thick that the bears stayed out for an extra two weeks.
"That's resulted in fatter, healthier bears this summer, Hedman said, adding the development is not likely a long-term trend."
How does Santin know this "is not likely a long-term trend"?
And why didn't we read about this "cooler-than-usual summer" in
more newspapers?
Luckily, someone sent me a copy from the Edmonton Journal.
I can't even find the article in the Winnipeg Free Press, where
it originally appeared. I'm guessing that someone intentionally
removed it.
http://arcticfocus.com/environment/419
Thanks to Wil Smyth for this info