Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Embargoed until October 9, 2018 12:00 EDT (News release from University of Washington)
Researchers drew upon years of field observations to assess the importance of whale carcasses and how they might help polar bears survive an ice-free Arctic. Although whale carcasses provided critical fat and protein stores that helped polar bears survive in past low-ice periods, the Arctic landscape has changed drastically since then. In addition, not every region sees enough large whales strand and die to support the 19 polar bear subpopulations that exist in the Arctic.
Canadian co-author: Ian Stirling, University of Alberta – ian.stirling@ualberta.ca
