Post by diane9247 on Feb 12, 2019 6:50:03 GMT
The Russian archipelago of Novaya Zemlya is polar bear territory. With polar ice becoming more scarce each year, the bears are having to invade more human-populated areas in search of food. The military and research town of Belushya Guba, on southern Novaya Zemlya, is having so much trouble with bears that people are afraid to go outside or to let their children go to school. Bears have even gotten inside buildings and at least 52 bears have so far entered the town. They are attracted by the piles of garbage (which can be seen several places on Google Earth). The town has declared a state of emergency. This is not the only arctic area, nor is it the first year, with an increase in polar bear-human conflict, but the number has never been so large, according to local officials.
Polar bears are seriously threatened worldwide and only about 22,000-31,000 live in the wild. It is against the law to shoot them, so residents will have to find another way to reduce the population or repel them. Let's wish them luck.
The good news is that they will eventually migrate north.
Source
Novaya Zemlya bears.kmz (927 B)
P.S. Also in the folder is a 2008 placemark of mine showing what I am fairly certain are two polar bears on a sand bar.
Polar bears are seriously threatened worldwide and only about 22,000-31,000 live in the wild. It is against the law to shoot them, so residents will have to find another way to reduce the population or repel them. Let's wish them luck.
The good news is that they will eventually migrate north.
Ilya Mordvintsev, a lead researcher at the Severtsev Institute of Ecology and Evolution, told Tass this visit to Novaya Zemlya is part of the bears' seasonal migration.
"Compared to previous years, they come ashore in the southern part of the archipelago, where the ice is changing. They migrate through Novaya Zemlya heading north, where the ice is solid," Mordvintsev said. "It is migration from the south to the north. They are staying in that location because there is some alternative food. They could have gone past but for the food. But as there are bins with edible waste, they stop to flock."
"Compared to previous years, they come ashore in the southern part of the archipelago, where the ice is changing. They migrate through Novaya Zemlya heading north, where the ice is solid," Mordvintsev said. "It is migration from the south to the north. They are staying in that location because there is some alternative food. They could have gone past but for the food. But as there are bins with edible waste, they stop to flock."
Novaya Zemlya bears.kmz (927 B)
P.S. Also in the folder is a 2008 placemark of mine showing what I am fairly certain are two polar bears on a sand bar.