{"id":424156,"date":"2026-02-01T15:27:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T14:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424156"},"modified":"2026-02-01T15:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T14:27:18","slug":"shock-news-polar-bears-are-thriving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424156","title":{"rendered":"Shock News: Polar Bears Are Thriving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"482\" data-attachment-id=\"424164\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=424164\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?fit=723%2C482&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?resize=723%2C482&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Two polar bear cubs playing on a snowy landscape with icebergs in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-424164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">A recent study published in Scientific Reports on January 29, 2026, titled &#8220;Body condition among Svalbard Polar bears Ursus maritimus during a period of rapid loss of sea ice,&#8221; examines how polar bears in the Svalbard region of the Barents Sea have fared amid accelerating climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Despite expectations that diminishing sea ice would lead to poorer health and fat reserves, the research reveals surprising resilience in adult bears&#8217; body condition from 1995 to 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Recent 2026 coverage (from a Scientific Reports study analyzing 770\u2013800 bears from 1992\u20132019) shows this subpopulation (2,650 bears) bucking expectations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Despite the fastest sea ice loss in the Arctic (extra ~4 ice-free days\/year, ~100 more over the period), bear body condition (fat reserves, measured by Body Condition Index) improved after ~2000.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Bears appear healthier, fatter, and reproductively successful\u2014adapting by hunting efficiently on shrinking ice patches (concentrating prey like seals), shifting to land-based foods (reindeer, walrus, eggs), and showing resilience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Scientists describe this as &#8220;surprising&#8221; and positive short-term news: &#8220;A fat bear is a healthy bear.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">_________________________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"424166\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=424166\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI (1)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A polar bear standing on an icy surface with a cloudy sky in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-424166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPG-xAN_t9Y98o_kXYTYrRuPQuNxvrzIb_Q0BhjuOjvzSMyddyVf0hcG-AFBKlisqgh5uvQ8nfAlyzVlhkaS4IdQotjL4FQoeFlM9DD_7hDilN7cCvvByvKqZj6-hUI-1.jpeg?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/dailysceptic.org\/2026\/01\/30\/shock-news-polar-bears-are-thriving\/#comments\">The Daily Sceptic<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dailysceptic.org\/author\/sallust\/\">Sallust<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"482\" data-attachment-id=\"424158\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=424158\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?fit=723%2C482&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?resize=723%2C482&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A group of four polar bears in a wintry landscape, surrounded by snow and ice. Two bears are sitting on the ground, while one stands on a rock and another is in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-424158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0large-group-of-polar-bears-lynn-starnes.jpg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Some polar bears, it seems, are doing well out climate change and reduced ice levels in the Arctic, so a study in&nbsp;<em>Nature<\/em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-025-33227-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;says. Although \u2018body condition index\u2019 (BCI) was observed declining for the first five years of the 1995-2019 study, it didn\u2019t stay that way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">We assessed how intrinsic (female reproductive state, age) and both males and females, BCI declined until 2000, but increased afterwards, during a period with rapid loss of sea ice. In models including sea ice metrics and climate (Arctic Oscillation), there was no support for the predicted negative effect of warmer weather and habitat loss. This indicates a complex relationship between habitat, ecosystem structure, energy intake, and energy expenditure. Increases in some prey species, including harbour seals, reindeer, and walrus, may partly offset reduced access to seals. Our findings underline the importance not to extrapolate findings across populations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The key line there is \u201cthere was no support for the predicted negative effect of warmer weather and habitat loss\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">It seems that when conditions change there can be an initial negative effect, during which time animals learn to adapt and benefit. But not all polar bear populations may be so fortunate, apparently, and there is still good reason to believe that doom lies ahead, says the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cx2l1xpz03no\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BBC<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe fatter a bear is the better it is,\u201d explained lead researcher Dr Jon Aars from the Norwegian Polar Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd I would have expected to see a decline in body condition when the loss of sea ice has been so profound.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">While this is unexpected, good news for these Arctic predators, the researchers think it is unlikely to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">As the sea ice continues to decline, bears will have to travel further to access hunting grounds, using more energy and depleting precious fat reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The charity Polar Bears International points out that Svalbard\u2019s polar bears were some of the most heavily hunted in the world, until international protections were introduced in the 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Experts think the new findings could be linked to the population recovering from that hunting pressure. That, combined with an increase in the number of walruses \u2013 and of reindeer \u2013 in recent decades, appears to have provided the bears with a temporary boost.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Dr John Whiteman, Chief Research Scientist at PBI said the results were \u201cpositive in the short term\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut body condition is only one piece of the puzzle. Other recent research on these bears found that more ice-free days reduced survival in cubs and in subadult and old females.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Elsewhere in the Arctic, climate change is having a very different effect on polar bears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">In Canada\u2019s Western Hudson Bay, where the most southerly and best studied bears live, a decline in the population has been directly linked to warming temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Whiteman added that that the long-term picture for polar bears was clear \u2013 they need sea ice to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIce loss ultimately means bear declines, but [this study shows] that the short-term picture can be very region-specific.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the long term,\u201d he told BBC News, \u201cif ice loss continues unchecked, we know the bears will eventually disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">That reads suspiciously like another potentially unreliable \u2018predicted negative effect\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Another way of looking at the polar bears is that in the ever-changing natural world there are always winners and losers. After all, the mammoths disappeared at a time of melting ice when there wasn\u2019t a Chinese coal-fired power station in sight, while other animals adapted or evolved into species that could take advantage of warmer times, the retreat of the ice, and the spread of forests instead of cold, barren grasslands. Among them were the brown bear, various types of deer, and even ants. Another was us. Perhaps now some of the polar bears have also discovered that living in a frozen wilderness isn\u2019t all it was cut out to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Worth&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cx2l1xpz03no\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reading in full<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"424167\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=424167\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"OIGP.5cJ\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A peaceful polar bear sitting on snowy terrain under the colorful auroras in the northern sky.\" class=\"wp-image-424167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OIGP.5cJ.jpeg?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent study published in Scientific Reports on January 29, 2026, titled &#8220;Body condition among Svalbard Polar bears Ursus maritimus during a period of rapid loss of sea ice,&#8221; examines how polar bears in the Svalbard region of the Barents Sea have fared amid accelerating climate change. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":424164,"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":"Discover how Svalbard polar bears show resilience in body condition amidst declining sea ice. A surprising study reveals their adaptation.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Svalbard Polar Bears Thrive Despite Climate Change Challenges","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":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvY2xpbWF0ZS1zY2llbmNlLnByZXNzXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMlwvMEFRTVR1emw5dVJBM0p6bFlFWndNVUU3NlMtZmF6UlVvUTlxbTNkelR0SldFLUxTYmZiLU1zckNsRXV4SUZBTXNGT3laazZQUmNlYUdpQkJ5b1BjelNDU0lfcEhuSTlabVRkSWVDcEhIbXJzam8xWWhNa2ZOeHRNVkhhLWtZWFlkLmpwZWciLCJ0eHQiOiJTaG9jayBOZXdzOiBQb2xhciBCZWFycyBBcmUgVGhyaXZpbmciLCJ0ZW1wbGF0ZSI6ImhpZ2h3YXkiLCJmb250IjoiIiwiYmxvZ19pZCI6MTU1ODEyNDQ5fQ.b3gbcwaF3rxzSJlBzQG67P0OEkzyx8-Tmp5g3VQ-UAAMQ"},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818056,691822122,691818251,691820151],"class_list":["post-424156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-climate-change","tag-nature","tag-polar-bears","tag-the-science","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQMTuzl9uRA3JzlYEZwMUE76S-fazRUoQ9qm3dzTtJWE-LSbfb-MsrClEuxIFAMsFOyZk6PRceaGiBByoPczSCSI_pHnI9ZmTdIeCpHHmrsjo1YhMkfNxtMVHa-kYXYd.jpeg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Mle","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":424553,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424553","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":0},"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":423920,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=423920","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":1},"title":"Barents Sea polar bears thriving despite massive loss of sea ice, study\u00a0confirms","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/30\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A recently published study lead by Norwegian polar bear specialist Jon Aars found that both male and female polar bears were fatter and healthier after 1995 despite the greatest loss of sea ice of any Arctic region. However, no evidence was provided that a greater consumption of walrus and reindeer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Arctic region\"","block_context":{"text":"Arctic region","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=arctic-region"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-29.-Mai-2025-18_18_08.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-29.-Mai-2025-18_18_08.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-29.-Mai-2025-18_18_08.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-29.-Mai-2025-18_18_08.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":331666,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=331666","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":2},"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 Institute","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=norwegian-polar-institute"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0ar250.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":268082,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=268082","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":3},"title":"More Barents Sea polar bear habitat at mid-July 2023 than in 2012 despite more atmospheric CO2","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/18\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"More open water exposed to summer sunlight has meant more food for fish, an advantage that has bumped up the food chain to ensure more seals for polar bears the following spring. Fatter bears produce healthier cubs that are more likely to survive their first year of life.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/image-543.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/image-543.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/image-543.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/image-543.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424652,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424652","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":4},"title":"Biologists allowed David Attenborough to tell BBC viewers that Barents Sea bears were dying of starvation in his 2011 Frozen Planet episode when they knew it wasn\u2019t\u00a0true","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/04\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In the climate change episode of his 2011 BBC\u00a0Frozen Planet\u00a0series \u2018On Thin Ice\u2019,\u00a0Sir David Attenborough told viewers\u00a0that polar bear mothers and cubs across the Arctic were starving because climate change was melting the sea ice, even as he sat beside a fat, healthy Barents Sea female.","rel":"","context":"In \"Barents Sea bears\"","block_context":{"text":"Barents Sea bears","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=barents-sea-bears"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPX2MEr9YPtb11H765CI7vgNYO0CYcbnDswwMFa-6yW8Igy_L6adc6KJwey6kU3gnlcbkEV9lzcAuDsq66u7rhPhK3262oli6ccoADjcqkgG0GGkGrS-JGYxvH2pH57-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPX2MEr9YPtb11H765CI7vgNYO0CYcbnDswwMFa-6yW8Igy_L6adc6KJwey6kU3gnlcbkEV9lzcAuDsq66u7rhPhK3262oli6ccoADjcqkgG0GGkGrS-JGYxvH2pH57-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPX2MEr9YPtb11H765CI7vgNYO0CYcbnDswwMFa-6yW8Igy_L6adc6KJwey6kU3gnlcbkEV9lzcAuDsq66u7rhPhK3262oli6ccoADjcqkgG0GGkGrS-JGYxvH2pH57-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPX2MEr9YPtb11H765CI7vgNYO0CYcbnDswwMFa-6yW8Igy_L6adc6KJwey6kU3gnlcbkEV9lzcAuDsq66u7rhPhK3262oli6ccoADjcqkgG0GGkGrS-JGYxvH2pH57-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0AQPX2MEr9YPtb11H765CI7vgNYO0CYcbnDswwMFa-6yW8Igy_L6adc6KJwey6kU3gnlcbkEV9lzcAuDsq66u7rhPhK3262oli6ccoADjcqkgG0GGkGrS-JGYxvH2pH57-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":424041,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=424041","url_meta":{"origin":424156,"position":5},"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":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=424156"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":424169,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424156\/revisions\/424169"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/424164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=424156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=424156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=424156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}