A subset of polar bears appear to be adapting to warmer climates, according to a new study. How are they doing this, exactly? Researchers believe the bears’ DNA is literally changing to help them survive in warmer conditions.
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“Scientists have found that some genes related to heat stress, aging and metabolism are behaving differently in polar bears living in south-east Greenland, suggesting they may be adjusting to warmer conditions,” wrote The Guardian in an Instagram post sharing the study.
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The study explains that researchers recently discovered a new subpopulation of polar bears—an “isolated colony” in southeastern Greenland. This area represents a warmer climate zone. According to the study authors, this area is “akin to the predicted future environments of polar bears with vastly reduced sea ice habitats.”
The scientists were able to compare the southeast subpopulation’s DNA to that of a subpopulation in the northeast, where the climate is colder. Their findings suggest the bears’ bodies may be changing to help support life in a slightly warmer environment. If so, this could be great news for the species.
As sea ice in the Arctic shrinks, polar bears are at risk of extinction. In fact, the study authors suggest that more than two-thirds of polar bears could die off by 2050.
Read the full study here.
Header stock image by Alberto Cassani/Getty Images
