Wolf quoted on effect of pollution on polar bears' reproductive success
Polar bears are among the most familiar faces of climate change. The iconic bears, which live and hunt on dwindling Arctic sea ice, became an officially threatened species in 2008 and continue to show declining numbers.
But the bears may be facing another threat, from pollutants that have been banned for decades. A study published in the January issue of Environmental Research linked elevated levels of PCBs to lower density in male bears' penile bones, which may disrupt the bears' reproductive abilities.
"Polar bears are, except for killer whales, probably the most polluted animals on our globe," Christian Sonne, a biologist at Aarhus University in Denmark and lead author on the research, told VICE News. "That's the magnitude we're talking."
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"The density of the penile bone is a proxy of mating success," Shaye Wolf, Climate Science Director for the Center for Biological Diversity, told VICE News. "There's a whole slew of harm to the polar bears' reproductive health that has been linked to these contaminant loads. This study provides more evidence and more support that contamination from industrialized nations is harming Arctic wildlife."