This polar bear was killed by climate change – here’s why

Rob Waugh

From Arctica: The Vanishing North by Sebastian Copeland

An Arctic photographer has captured a heart-rending image showing the impact of climate change on one of our planet’s most iconic wild animals.
Sebastian Copeland captured an image of a young polar bear who seems to have starved to death as the sea ice retreats.
Polar bears are dying of ‘starvation’ due to the retreat of sea ice – which makes it harder for bears to hunt seals, Copeland says in his new book ‘Arctica: The Vanishing North’.

From Arctica: The Vanishing North by Sebastian Copeland

Copeland, who has been photographing the Arctic for ten years, says, ‘For the state of the ice in general, we’re headed into uncharted territory. There’s no doubt about it.’

From Arctica: The Vanishing North by Sebastian Copeland

Copeland says his goal in photographing the Arctic is to highlight the slow-moving, but potentially devastating changes wrought by climate change.

From Arctica: The Vanishing North by Sebastian Copeland

Copeland writes, ‘The frozen remains of this young bear point to starvation.

From Arctica: The Vanishing North by Sebastian Copeland

‘The faster retreat of the sea ice, a bear’s favored spot for seal hunting, leads to longer fasting periods and the demise of more animals from starvation.