{"id":269601,"date":"2023-07-26T21:10:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T19:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=269601"},"modified":"2023-07-26T21:10:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T19:10:28","slug":"polar-bear-habitat-around-svalbard-norway-above-average-despite-high-temps-in-n-atlantic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=269601","title":{"rendered":"Polar bear habitat around Svalbard Norway above average despite high temps in N. Atlantic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From polarbearscience<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sea ice extent for Svalbard was\u00a0above average yesterday<\/a>\u00a0and has been\u00a0since 17 July<\/a>, despite\u00a0\u201crecord-breaking\u201d<\/a>\u00a0sea surface temperatures in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The temperature anomaly for June in the North Atlantic was 2-3 C above average, see\u00a0image below<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the Barents Sea polar bear subpopulation region still has concentrated pack ice to the north and around Franz Josef Land in the east:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oddly, sea ice over the Barents Sea in 2016 at 20 July was much less than this year (see below), after a June of apparently unremarkable North Atlantic sea surface temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As for the status of polar bears around Svalbard, Norwegian scientists who monitor the bears have not updated\u00a0the MOSJ website<\/a>\u00a0with data from this spring\u2019s research, as they have been doing for the last several years at least. Last year this chore was completed by 31 May and\u00a0I reported on it in June<\/a>. I\u2019ve never seen it go this late and there has been no explanation for the delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sea ice extent for Svalbard was\u00a0above average yesterday\u00a0and has been\u00a0since 17 July, despite\u00a0\u201crecord-breaking\u201d\u00a0sea surface temperatures in June.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":269612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819302,691818744,691818745,691818191],"class_list":["post-269601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-barents-sea","tag-norway","tag-polar-bear","tag-svalbard","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/image-798.png?fit=1920%2C1200&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-188p","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":255889,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=255889","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":0},"title":"17th century documents & 1970s ice maps show sea ice habitat in Svalbard has always varied greatly","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/04\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Historical records show that sea ice extent along the west coast of Svalbard, Norway varied greatly in the 1600s and that there is currently more ice than was usually present at this time of year in the 17th century.","rel":"","context":"In \"Barents Sea\"","block_context":{"text":"Barents Sea","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=barents-sea"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00arctic_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00arctic_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00arctic_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00arctic_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00arctic_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424041,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424041","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":1},"title":"Polar bears on Norwegian islands fatter and healthier despite ice loss","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/31\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Norwegian Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard have become fatter and healthier despite significant sea ice loss due to climate change. A study published in Scientific Reports on January 29, 2026, analyzed body condition data from 770 adult polar bears between 1992 and 2019.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OIG-2023-10-23T132101.951.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OIG-2023-10-23T132101.951.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OIG-2023-10-23T132101.951.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OIG-2023-10-23T132101.951.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":316070,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=316070","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":2},"title":"A good year for Svalbard polar bears due to abundant sea ice coverage","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/03\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It remains to be seen how long the sea ice will hang around. However, these spring months are when polar bears gorge themselves on baby seals. As long as the bears can consume enough fat during this time, they are protected from the adverse effects of fasting over the summer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Bear Island (Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya)\"","block_context":{"text":"Bear Island (Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=bear-island-bjornoya"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/00ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/00ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/00ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/00ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/00ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424553,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424553","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":3},"title":"Polar Bear Numbers Rising and Health Improving in Areas with the Most Rapid Sea Ice Decline","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/04\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The study of a scientific paper titled \"Body condition among Svalbard Polar bears Ursus maritimus during a period of rapid loss of sea ice,\" published in Scientific Reports on January 29, 2026 explains Svalbard bears are resilient due to local factors: increased abundance of alternative prey like harbour seals, reindeer,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Barents Sea (BS)\"","block_context":{"text":"Barents Sea (BS)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=barents-sea-bs"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIG4-7.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIG4-7.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIG4-7.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIG4-7.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":248154,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=248154","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":4},"title":"Return of Svalbard sea ice in time for seal births and the polar bear feeding bonanza","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/17\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems that every\u00a0fall\u00a0and\u00a0winter\u00a0for the last decade at least, there has been hand-wringing about the lack of Svalbard sea ice and what a tragedy this is for polar bears.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-591.png?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-591.png?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-591.png?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-591.png?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-591.png?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":331666,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=331666","url_meta":{"origin":269601,"position":5},"title":"New data show Svalbard polar bears are fatter than they were in 1993 despite continued low sea ice","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/05\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Researchers at the Norwegian Polar Institute have finally updated their spring data, which show male polar bears in 2024 were even fatter than they were in 1993 and litter sizes of new cubs were just as high, despite continued low sea ice in the region over the summer months especially.","rel":"","context":"In \"Norwegian Polar Institute\"","block_context":{"text":"Norwegian Polar 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