This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022.
Polar Bear Research Active
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics, distribution and movements, maternal denning, and methods development. The majority of our research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia. The overarching goal of our research is to assess current and projected future responses of polar bears to a rapidly changing Arctic environment.
Return to Ecosystems >> Marine Ecosystems
Video: Polar Bear Collar Cam
Video: About the Polar Bear Research Program
Video: Melting Arctic Sea Ice Threatens Polar Bears
Population Dynamics
Information on the status and trends of polar bear populations are needed to inform management of polar bears under US laws and international agreements. The USGS maintains a long-term research program focused on the population dynamics of the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population. In addition, the USGS collaborates with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in population studies in the Chukchi Sea. To estimate both the population size and vital rates, we have used mark-recapture studies relying on physical capture of bears, primarily during the spring. We are currently developing an analytical approach that will allow us to integrate additional types of data (e.g., spatial data, non-invasively collected genetic data) into the modeling process to provide improved assessments of population status. Results of past studies have allowed us to assess the relationships between population vital rates and environmental change, which provides our partners with information needed to inform management decisions.
Health and Energetics
The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important associations between environmental stressors and population dynamics. Research in this focal area is centered on (i) collecting data on a variety of systems that help determine and mediate polar bear health and energetics, and (ii) developing monitoring and surveillance programs for detecting changes in population health over time. Additionally, this work will allow us to develop an understanding of how polar bear populations will respond to a variety of stressors modulated by climate change, including contaminant and pathogen exposures, changes in food web structure and prey accessibility, and changes in spatial distribution.
Distribution and Movements
Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea ice. Over the past 25 years, the summer sea ice melt period has lengthened, and summer sea ice cover has declined by over half a million square miles. In winter, there have been dramatic reductions in the amount of old ice, predominantly in the western Arctic. This loss of stable old ice has catalyzed additional losses of sea ice cover each summer because the thinner younger ice is more easily melted during the recent warmer summers. Research in this focal area seeks to develop a better understanding of how changes in the distribution and characteristics of sea ice habitat are likely to affect polar bear fitness, distribution, and interactions with people. If we know how polar bears respond to changes in ice quantity and quality, we will be able to predict how forecasted changes in the ice may affect future polar bear populations. This will give managers the best chance of adapting strategies to assure the long-term persistence of polar bears in a changing ice environment.
Maternal Denning
Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October or early November, give birth to cubs in December or early January, and exit dens in March or early April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. However, over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and more prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of dens. Based on data collected from radio-tagged adult female bears, maternal denning now occurs at relatively high densities along the central and eastern Arctic coastal plain of Alaska. The availability of denning habitat― mediated by landscape features that facilitate the formation of snow drifts― appears to increase in the eastern portion of the Alaska coastal plain. In the Chukchi Sea, polar bears historically denned primarily on land in both Russia and the Alaska. In recent years as sea ice extent has retreated further north in the fall, Chukchi Sea polar bears have shifted land-based denning northward primarily on Wrangel and Herald Islands in Russia and rarely on the Alaskan coast. Identifying factors influencing the distribution of dens and denning duration will allow us to better monitor reproductive success and mitigate the potential for disturbance of denned bears from anthropogenic activities.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Q&A: Polar Bears and Zoos
Polar Bear Media/Contacts
Polar Bear Maternal Denning
Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears
Health and Energetics of Polar Bears
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Fatty Acid Data, Spring Samples 2004-2016
Estimated Post-Emergence Period for Denning Polar Bears of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas
Diet Composition of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears Sampled in Spring from 2004 to 2016 Estimated with Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis
Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022
Diet Estimates of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2004-2016
Mercury Concentrations, Diet, and Gut Microbiota Diversity of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2008-2019
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Blood Based Analyte Data, 1983-2018
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Diet and Gut Microbiota Data, 2015-2019
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture
Polar Bear Fall Coastal Survey Data from the Southern Beaufort Sea of Alaska, 2010-2013
Mapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
Below are multimedia associated with this project.
This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022.
The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat.
The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat.
An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
Scientists continue to study how a warming Arctic will affect polar bear populations. The new 2022 Polar Bear Research Council Masterplan identifies how polar bears in zoos can help fill knowledge gaps that benefit wild populations.
Scientists continue to study how a warming Arctic will affect polar bear populations. The new 2022 Polar Bear Research Council Masterplan identifies how polar bears in zoos can help fill knowledge gaps that benefit wild populations.
This video showcases the latest polar bear point-of-view footage to date along with an interview of the research scientist who is responsible for the project. Released in conjunction with a new scientific study led by the USGS.
This video showcases the latest polar bear point-of-view footage to date along with an interview of the research scientist who is responsible for the project. Released in conjunction with a new scientific study led by the USGS.
Exciting polar bear cam b-roll footage from the bear’s perspective from 2014, 2015, and 2016. The USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research Project conducts long-term research on polar bears to inform, local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation and management of the species and its habitat.
Exciting polar bear cam b-roll footage from the bear’s perspective from 2014, 2015, and 2016. The USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research Project conducts long-term research on polar bears to inform, local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation and management of the species and its habitat.
Adult polar bear walking across a recently overwashed barrier island during a large Arctic storm in September 2016. The barrier island is offshore of Barter Island on Alaska’s north coast.
Adult polar bear walking across a recently overwashed barrier island during a large Arctic storm in September 2016. The barrier island is offshore of Barter Island on Alaska’s north coast.
This short clip is representative of a large amount of video footage of an adult female polar bear, equipped with a point of view camera, that is used by scientists to study polar bear behavior and feeding rates.
This short clip is representative of a large amount of video footage of an adult female polar bear, equipped with a point of view camera, that is used by scientists to study polar bear behavior and feeding rates.
Karyn Rode taking vitals on a polar bear in the Chukchi Sea April 2016. On sea ice off the northwest coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea.
Karyn Rode taking vitals on a polar bear in the Chukchi Sea April 2016. On sea ice off the northwest coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea.
Photo of adult male polar bear walking towards seal (upper right) Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Photo of adult male polar bear walking towards seal (upper right) Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
An adult female polar bear and her two cubs travel across the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean north of the Alaska coast.
An adult female polar bear and her two cubs travel across the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean north of the Alaska coast.
An adult female polar bear on the sea ice wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collar. GPS video-camera collars were applied to solitary adult female polar bears for 8 - 12 days in April, 2014-2016. These collars enabled researchers to understand the movements, behaviors, and foraging success of polar bears on the sea ice.
An adult female polar bear on the sea ice wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collar. GPS video-camera collars were applied to solitary adult female polar bears for 8 - 12 days in April, 2014-2016. These collars enabled researchers to understand the movements, behaviors, and foraging success of polar bears on the sea ice.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Potential impacts of an autumn oil spill on polar bears summering on land in northern Alaska
The post-emergence period for denning polar bears: Phenology and influence on cub survival
Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates
Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period
Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19–23 days from August to September (2019–2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2-fold range in
Long-term storage at -20°C compromises fatty acid composition of polar bear adipose biopsies
Identifying indicators of polar bear population status
Sea-ice conditions predict polar bear land use around military installations in Alaska
Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Forecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 2040–65
A body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Fecal DNA metabarcoding shows credible short-term prey detections and explains variation in the gut microbiome of two polar bear subpopulations
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics, distribution and movements, maternal denning, and methods development. The majority of our research focuses on the two polar bear subpopulation’s whose range includes Alaska: the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation that ranges between the North Slope of Alaska and western Canada and the Chukchi Sea or Alaska-Chukotka subpopulation that ranges between the northwest coast of Alaska and eastern Russia. The overarching goal of our research is to assess current and projected future responses of polar bears to a rapidly changing Arctic environment.
Return to Ecosystems >> Marine Ecosystems
Video: Polar Bear Collar CamVideo: Polar Bear Collar CamVideo: About the Polar Bear Research ProgramVideo: About the Polar Bear Research ProgramVideo: Melting Arctic Sea Ice Threatens Polar BearsVideo: Melting Arctic Sea Ice Threatens Polar BearsPopulation Dynamics
Information on the status and trends of polar bear populations are needed to inform management of polar bears under US laws and international agreements. The USGS maintains a long-term research program focused on the population dynamics of the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population. In addition, the USGS collaborates with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in population studies in the Chukchi Sea. To estimate both the population size and vital rates, we have used mark-recapture studies relying on physical capture of bears, primarily during the spring. We are currently developing an analytical approach that will allow us to integrate additional types of data (e.g., spatial data, non-invasively collected genetic data) into the modeling process to provide improved assessments of population status. Results of past studies have allowed us to assess the relationships between population vital rates and environmental change, which provides our partners with information needed to inform management decisions.
Health and Energetics
The warming climate has the potential to drive significant changes in the health and energetics of Arctic fauna, particularly those dependent on sea ice habitats like polar bears. An animal’s health and energetic state reflects the interaction between its behavioral choices and the environment. Because of this, measuring changes in health and energetics has potential for revealing important associations between environmental stressors and population dynamics. Research in this focal area is centered on (i) collecting data on a variety of systems that help determine and mediate polar bear health and energetics, and (ii) developing monitoring and surveillance programs for detecting changes in population health over time. Additionally, this work will allow us to develop an understanding of how polar bear populations will respond to a variety of stressors modulated by climate change, including contaminant and pathogen exposures, changes in food web structure and prey accessibility, and changes in spatial distribution.
Distribution and Movements
Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea ice. Over the past 25 years, the summer sea ice melt period has lengthened, and summer sea ice cover has declined by over half a million square miles. In winter, there have been dramatic reductions in the amount of old ice, predominantly in the western Arctic. This loss of stable old ice has catalyzed additional losses of sea ice cover each summer because the thinner younger ice is more easily melted during the recent warmer summers. Research in this focal area seeks to develop a better understanding of how changes in the distribution and characteristics of sea ice habitat are likely to affect polar bear fitness, distribution, and interactions with people. If we know how polar bears respond to changes in ice quantity and quality, we will be able to predict how forecasted changes in the ice may affect future polar bear populations. This will give managers the best chance of adapting strategies to assure the long-term persistence of polar bears in a changing ice environment.
Maternal Denning
Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October or early November, give birth to cubs in December or early January, and exit dens in March or early April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. However, over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and more prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of dens. Based on data collected from radio-tagged adult female bears, maternal denning now occurs at relatively high densities along the central and eastern Arctic coastal plain of Alaska. The availability of denning habitat― mediated by landscape features that facilitate the formation of snow drifts― appears to increase in the eastern portion of the Alaska coastal plain. In the Chukchi Sea, polar bears historically denned primarily on land in both Russia and the Alaska. In recent years as sea ice extent has retreated further north in the fall, Chukchi Sea polar bears have shifted land-based denning northward primarily on Wrangel and Herald Islands in Russia and rarely on the Alaskan coast. Identifying factors influencing the distribution of dens and denning duration will allow us to better monitor reproductive success and mitigate the potential for disturbance of denned bears from anthropogenic activities.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Q&A: Polar Bears and Zoos
Polar bears are found throughout the circumpolar Arctic and roam across miles of sea ice and land. They prefer to eat blubber, especially from seals that are also found on the sea ice. However, the sea ice habitat of polar bears is changing rapidly with substantial recent declines in the extent of sea ice in the Arctic. These changes are leading polar bears to spend more time on land in some areas...Polar Bear Media/Contacts
If you have questions about research or media inquiries regarding the USGS Alaska Science Center please contact Yvette Gillies.Polar Bear Maternal Denning
Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Information on the status and trends of polar bear populations are needed to inform management of polar bears under US laws and international agreements. The USGS maintains a long-term research program focused on the population dynamics of the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population. In addition, the USGS collaborates with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in population studies in the Chukchi...Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears
Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...Health and Energetics of Polar Bears
Research in this focal area is centered on (i) collecting data on a variety of systems that help determine and mediate polar bear health and energetics, and (ii) developing monitoring and surveillance programs for detecting changes in population health over time. Additionally, this work will allow us to develop an understanding of how polar bear populations will respond to a variety of stressors... - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 40Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Fatty Acid Data, Spring Samples 2004-2016
These data consist of the fatty acid composition (percent of mass) of adipose tissue samples from polar bears in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea. Fat biopsy samples were collected from polar bears that were either captured or biopsy darted along the north coast of Alaska or on offshore ice during March, April, or May from 2004 to 2016. The data also include an identification code unique to an indivEstimated Post-Emergence Period for Denning Polar Bears of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas
These data are estimates of den emergence date, den site departure dates, and duration at den sites as well as post-emergence observations for female polar bears sampled in the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation 1985-2016 and the Chukchi Sea subpopulation 2008-2017. The data were used to better understand the importance of time spent at the den site post-emergence. Emergence dates and departure dDiet Composition of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears Sampled in Spring from 2004 to 2016 Estimated with Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis
These data are estimates of the proportional contributions of bearded seal, beluga whale, bowhead whale, and ringed seal to the diets of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Fat biopsy samples were collected from polar bears captured or biopsy darted along the north coast of Alaska or on offshore ice during March, April, and May from 2004 to 2016. Fatty acid data of the above four prey species wereMetabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) on Land, Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 2019-2022
This dataset is one table with time-linked behavior data derived from video camera collars on polar bears on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Eighteen polar bears were equipped with video-camera collars (Vertex Plus collar with camera option, Vectronic Aerospace GmbH, Berlin, Germany) for 19 - 23 days in 2019, 2021, and 2022.Diet Estimates of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2004-2016
These were data collected from polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2004 and 2016. Data include individual bear identification, age and sex class, capture date, capture year, open water season lengths, melt season length, and diet composition (expressed as a percentage of prey species). These data were used to determine whether polar bear diets have recently changedMercury Concentrations, Diet, and Gut Microbiota Diversity of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2008-2019
This dataset is two tables with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea during 2008-2019. Collected data includes demographic and morphometric information and derived data includes mercury concentrations in hair samples. Ancillary data includes gut microbiome abundances, diversity indices, calculated body condition, and the proportions of prey speciesSouthern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Blood Based Analyte Data, 1983-2018
This dataset is one table with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea during 1983-2018. Collected data includes demographic and morphometric information. Derived data includes blood-based analyte values determined from whole blood and serum samples. Serum samples were analyzed on an Abaxis VS2 Biochemistry Analyzer and whole blood samples were analyzeSouthern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Diet and Gut Microbiota Data, 2015-2019
This dataset is one table with data collected and derived from polar bears sampled in Alaska's southern Beaufort Sea during 2015-2019. Data include demographic and morphometric information from each sampled polar bear, gut microbiome diversity indices derived from fecal DNA metabarcoding, and the proportion of prey species detected in individual bear diets derived from quantitative fatty acid analPolar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
his dataset consists of one table with estimated locations of adult female polar bears during July-November 1985-2017, used for quantifying changes in summer land use over time. Locations were estimated with a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model fit to satellite tracking from radio-collared adult female polar bears. All bears included in this data set were captured and instrumenteData Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture
This dataset is in five tables with data from ecophysiological studies of free-ranging polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. They were equipped with high-resolution activity sensors, body temperature loggers, and GPS satellite-telemetry collars, to compare physiological state and activity of bears during natural behavior with that experienced by bears during helicopter recapturePolar Bear Fall Coastal Survey Data from the Southern Beaufort Sea of Alaska, 2010-2013
This data set is one table with observations of polar bears located during aerial surveys along the coast and barrier islands of the southern Beaufort Seas during fall, 2010-2013. Survey flights were conducted using A-Star B2 and Bell 206 helicopters at an average altitude of 300 feet AGL and an average speed of 50 miles per hour. Survey crews searched for polar bears using coastal and inland tranMapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
These are geospatial data that characterize the distribution of polar bear denning habitat on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the coastal plain of northern Alaska between the Colville River and the Alaska/Canada border. - Multimedia
Below are multimedia associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 48POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022.
This is B-roll video of POV Polar Bear Collar Cam B-roll 2019, 2021, and 2022.
USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research ProgramUSGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research ProgramUSGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research ProgramThe USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat.
The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat.
Polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collarAn adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the oceanAdult male polar bear interacting with two other bears in the oceanPoint-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Adult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the oceanAdult male polar bear interacting with another bear in the oceanPoint-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Adult male polar bear walking along the coastPoint-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear walking along the coast in Wapusk National Park, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on landAdult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on landPoint-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while on land near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.
Role of Diet and Food Intake Affecting Polar Bear Population Dynamics in Southern Beaufort SeaRole of Diet and Food Intake Affecting Polar Bear Population Dynamics in Southern Beaufort SeaThis is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
2022 Polar Bear Research MasterplanScientists continue to study how a warming Arctic will affect polar bear populations. The new 2022 Polar Bear Research Council Masterplan identifies how polar bears in zoos can help fill knowledge gaps that benefit wild populations.
Scientists continue to study how a warming Arctic will affect polar bear populations. The new 2022 Polar Bear Research Council Masterplan identifies how polar bears in zoos can help fill knowledge gaps that benefit wild populations.
Polar Bears Film Their Own Sea Ice WorldThis video showcases the latest polar bear point-of-view footage to date along with an interview of the research scientist who is responsible for the project. Released in conjunction with a new scientific study led by the USGS.
This video showcases the latest polar bear point-of-view footage to date along with an interview of the research scientist who is responsible for the project. Released in conjunction with a new scientific study led by the USGS.
Polar Bear Collar Cam B-Roll 2014, 2015, 2016Exciting polar bear cam b-roll footage from the bear’s perspective from 2014, 2015, and 2016. The USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research Project conducts long-term research on polar bears to inform, local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation and management of the species and its habitat.
Exciting polar bear cam b-roll footage from the bear’s perspective from 2014, 2015, and 2016. The USGS Alaska Science Center Polar Bear Research Project conducts long-term research on polar bears to inform, local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation and management of the species and its habitat.
Polar bear walks across flooded barrier island during Arctic stormPolar bear walks across flooded barrier island during Arctic stormAdult polar bear walking across a recently overwashed barrier island during a large Arctic storm in September 2016. The barrier island is offshore of Barter Island on Alaska’s north coast.
Adult polar bear walking across a recently overwashed barrier island during a large Arctic storm in September 2016. The barrier island is offshore of Barter Island on Alaska’s north coast.
Polar Bear - POV Cams (Spring 2016)This short clip is representative of a large amount of video footage of an adult female polar bear, equipped with a point of view camera, that is used by scientists to study polar bear behavior and feeding rates.
This short clip is representative of a large amount of video footage of an adult female polar bear, equipped with a point of view camera, that is used by scientists to study polar bear behavior and feeding rates.
Karyn Rode checking vitals of polar bear on the Chukchi SeaKaryn Rode checking vitals of polar bear on the Chukchi SeaKaryn Rode taking vitals on a polar bear in the Chukchi Sea April 2016. On sea ice off the northwest coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea.
Karyn Rode taking vitals on a polar bear in the Chukchi Sea April 2016. On sea ice off the northwest coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea.
Adult male polar bear walkingPhoto of adult male polar bear walking towards seal (upper right) Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Photo of adult male polar bear walking towards seal (upper right) Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Swimming Polar BearData collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Two Swimming Polar BearsData collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
Data collected from long distance swims by Polar bears suggest that they do not stop to rest during their journey.
An Adult Polar Bear and Her Two CubsAn adult female polar bear and her two cubs travel across the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean north of the Alaska coast.
An adult female polar bear and her two cubs travel across the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean north of the Alaska coast.
Polar bear wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collarPolar bear wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collarAn adult female polar bear on the sea ice wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collar. GPS video-camera collars were applied to solitary adult female polar bears for 8 - 12 days in April, 2014-2016. These collars enabled researchers to understand the movements, behaviors, and foraging success of polar bears on the sea ice.
An adult female polar bear on the sea ice wearing a GPS satellite video-camera collar. GPS video-camera collars were applied to solitary adult female polar bears for 8 - 12 days in April, 2014-2016. These collars enabled researchers to understand the movements, behaviors, and foraging success of polar bears on the sea ice.
San Diego Zoo Polar BearTatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
San Diego Zoo Polar BearTatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
Tatqiq, an adult female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, wearing an accelerometer collar being used to develop a method to remotely identify wild polar bear behaviors.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 95Potential impacts of an autumn oil spill on polar bears summering on land in northern Alaska
Demand for oil and natural gas continues to increase, leading to the development of remote regions where it is riskier to operate. Many of these regions have had limited development, so understanding potential impacts to wildlife could inform management decisions. In 2017, the United States passed legislation allowing oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife RefAuthorsRyan H. Wilson, Deborah French-Mckay, Craig J Perham, Susannah P Woodruff, Todd C. Atwood, George M. DurnerThe post-emergence period for denning polar bears: Phenology and influence on cub survival
Among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), only parturient females den for extended periods, emerging from maternal dens in spring after having substantially depleted their energy reserves during a fast that can exceed 8 months. Although den emergence coincides with a period of increasing prey availability, polar bears typically do not depart immediately to hunt, but instead remain at the den for up toAuthorsErik Andersen, Ryan R. Wilson, Karyn D. Rode, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David GustineUrsids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates
The diets of the eight species of ursids range from carnivory (e.g., polar bears, Ursus maritimus) to insectivory (e.g., sloth bears, Melursus ursinus), omnivory (e.g., brown bears, U. arctos), and herbivory (e.g., giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Dietary energy availability ranges from the high-fat, highly digestible, calorically dense diet of polar bears (~ 6.4 kcal digestible energy/g freAuthorsAnthony M. Carnahan, Anthony M. Pagano, Amelia L. Christian, Karyn D. Rode, Charles T. RobbinsPolar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period
Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19–23 days from August to September (2019–2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2-fold range in
AuthorsAnthony M. Pagano, Karyn D. Rode, Nicholas J. Lunn, David McGeachy, Stephen N. Atkinson, Sean D. Farley, Joy A. Erlenbach, Charles T. RobbinsLong-term storage at -20°C compromises fatty acid composition of polar bear adipose biopsies
This study aimed to gain insight into the influence of storage time and temperature on fatty acid (FA) signatures of biopsies of marine mammal adipose/blubber tissues. To examine storage effects, biopsy-type slices from larger pieces of adipose tissues from 2 polar bears Ursus maritimus were stored at either -20 or -80°C and subsequently analyzed for fatty acid composition initially (before storagAuthorsRose Lacombe, Todd C. Atwood, Elizabeth Peacock, Anais Remili, Rune Dietz, Christian Sonne, Melissa McKinneyIdentifying indicators of polar bear population status
Monitoring trends in large mammal populations is a fundamental component of wildlife management and conservation. However, direct estimates of population size and vital rates of large mammals can be logistically challenging and expensive. Indicators that reflect trends in abundance, therefore, can be valuable tools for supporting population monitoring. Polar bears have a relatively simple life hisAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, Ryan R. Wilson, Justin A. Crawford, Lori T. QuakenbushSea-ice conditions predict polar bear land use around military installations in Alaska
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are threatened by sea-ice loss due to climate change, which is concurrently opening the Arctic to natural resource extraction and a broader scope of national security responsibilities. Mitigating the risk of human–bear conflicts is an emerging challenge as many polar bears spend longer ice-free summers on land where they have limited access to food and come into moreAuthorsEric V. Regehr, Kristin L. Laidre, Todd C. Atwood, Harry Stern, Benjamin R. CohenIncremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Updating predictions of the response of high-profile, at-risk species to climate change and anthropogenic stressors is vital for informing effective conservation action. Here, we review two prior generations of Bayesian network probability models predicting changes in global polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population status, and provide a contemporary update based on recent research findings and sea-AuthorsBruce G. Marcot, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Anthony M. Pagano, Steven C. AmstrupForecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 2040–65
This report provides analysis to extend the 2040 forecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use for the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Sea populations presented in a recent publication (Rode and others, 2022) through the year 2065. To inform long-term polar bear management considerations, we provide point-estimate forecasts and 95-percent prediction intervals of the proportion of polar bear popAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood, Ryan R. WilsonA body composition model with multiple storage compartments for polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Climate warming is rapidly altering Arctic ecosystems. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) need sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, but increased sea-ice loss is lengthening periods when bears are without access to primary hunting habitat. During periods of food scarcity, survival depends on the energy that a bear has stored in body reserves, termed storage energy, making this a key metric iAuthorsStephanie R. Penk, Pranav Sadana, Louise C. Archer, Anthony M. Pagano, Marc R. L. Cattet, Nicholas J. Lunn, Gregory W. Thiemann, Péter K. MolnárHigh winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Some animal species are responding to climate change by altering the timing of events like mating and migration. Such behavioral plasticity can be adaptive, but it is not always. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation have mostly remained on ice year-round, but as the climate warms and summer sea ice declines, a growing proportion of the subpopulation is summeriAuthorsAnnie Kellner, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Stewart Breck, George WittemyerFecal DNA metabarcoding shows credible short-term prey detections and explains variation in the gut microbiome of two polar bear subpopulations
This study developed and evaluated DNA metabarcoding to identify the presence of pinniped and cetacean prey DNA in fecal samples of East Greenland (EG) and Southern Beaufort Sea (SB) polar bears Ursus maritimus sampled in the spring of 2015-2019. Prey DNA was detected in half (49/92) of all samples, and when detected, ringed seal Pusa hispida was the predominant prey species, identified in 100% (2AuthorsMegan Franz, L Whyte, Todd C. Atwood, Damian M. Menning, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Sandra Talbot, Kristin L. Laidre, Emmanuel Gonzalez, Melissa McKinney - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 13 - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.