Ice - Climate - Education
Svalbard 2007

I.C.E.-Partner




 


 

















 

Biotope protection        

NANOQ on thin ice

Biologists and environmentalists are greatly alarmed by the fact that the ice masses in the Arctic are decreasing. They fear for the existence of many Arctic animal species whose habitats might be destroyed. The polar bear - called NANOQ in the Inuit language - is the largest and strongest land carnivore species and seems particulary endangered. Global warming is already causing its world to diminish and is forcing the bears to change their natural habits. Polar bears are forced to wander further to get to the pack ice where they find seals, their main prey. Additionally, they must wait longer for the ocean to finally freeze over. In the US, polar bears were added recently to the Red List of endangered animals.

But not only the polar bears are endangered, also the caribou, the musk ox, some whale species, the walrus and many sea birds - just to mention a few - are already directly affected by global warming. Besides, recent observations indicate that new animal and plant species are immigrating into the area, changing the ecological balance.

Assignment:
Considering the polar bear population on Spitsbergen (Svalbard), you are asked to develop new concepts and ideas for their protection. These should not only include the existing protection laws but should in particular consider the specific impact of global warming on the region. What action must be taken if the ice were to diminish further? Where and how will the polar bears be able to survive?

Form:
It is up to you to decide in which form you wish to present your ideas and concepts. It could be in the form of a travel journal written during a trip to one of the newly created game reserves, it could be a report on the experience of catching endangered polar bears, it could be a story told by a small polar bear which has lost its parents, a power-point presentation on the present situation around Spitsbergen or a computer programme.

Sources on information:
You will have a collection of internet addresses and relevant documents, maps and satellite data at your disposal. You can also refer to Arved Fuchs' homepage.