Back in the 1980s, the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea would have been largely frozen over by early December. But times, and climes, have changed.
Local authorities in the Russian village of Ryrkaypiy, located on the far northeast coast of the country and bordering the Chukchi Sea, have reported to the World Wildlife Fund and other organizations that 61 polar bears (up from initial observations of 56) have amassed just outside of town.
It’s strange for often-solitary polar bears to congregate here, yet the iconic marine mammals have little choice: They require sea ice to hunt for seals, but the Chukchi sea ice is hovering at near-record lows. Read more…
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