This guy!?

[Cowabunga]

The counter argument, of course, is that polar bears are being forced in to more contact with humans because lack of ice is prohibiting hunting so they are seeking out humans where they know there is food.
Plus there are just more people up in the artic circle these days trying to prove climate change

Firstly there is no "lack of ice". The area and volume of ice has always fluctuated and is little different today than during other recent periods in history. Not at a peak and not at anything like abnormally low.

Their population has increased fairly consistently year on year during conditions that were claimed would see their numbers decline to hear extinction. Fact. Another is that the ice has stayed at about the same area and volume since 1998, so they should, by the alarmist model, he well extinct like the Dodo by now. On top of which, instead of extinction by 2050, as originally forecast for current conditions reached by then, they have now extended the time frame by another 50 years, even though the population is continually rising. Much the same as badgers in the UK which are 'endangered ' even though their population is now at near plague proportion.
There are no ifs or buts to the polar bear issue. They are in no danger whatsoever and the issue is, if anything, one of potential overpopulation not of extinction. They are expanding their territory and encroaching on human settlements..

 

[Bald Rick]

Firstly there is no "lack of ice". The area and volume of ice has always fluctuated and is little different today than during other recent periods in history. Not at a peak and not at anything like abnormally low.

Their population has increased fairly consistently year on year during conditions that were claimed would see their numbers decline to hear extinction. Fact. Another is that the ice has stayed at about the same area and volume since 1998, so they should, by the alarmist model, he well extinct like the Dodo by now. On top of which, instead of extinction by 2050, as originally forecast for current conditions reached by then, they have now extended the time frame by another 50 years, even though the population is continually rising. Much the same as badgers in the UK which are 'endangered ' even though their population is now at near plague proportion.
There are no ifs or buts to the polar bear issue. They are in no danger whatsoever and the issue is, if anything, one of potential overpopulation not of extinction. They are expanding their territory and encroaching on human settlements..

They are expanding in to areas where humans are because the pickings are easier.
Like all animals, if food is readily available they will breed successfully
It is possible that a shrinking ice field is concentrating prey sources - and you cannot deny that at present the ice field is shrinking. Whether that is just a natural phenomenon or will become permanent as a result of climate change driven by human activity, I cannot say

 

[Cowabunga]

They are expanding in to areas where humans are because the pickings are easier.
Like all animals, if food is readily available they will breed successfully
It is possible that a shrinking ice field is concentrating prey sources - and you cannot deny that at present the ice field is shrinking. Whether that is just a natural phenomenon or will become permanent as a result of climate change driven by human activity, I cannot say

Arctic ice volume varies greatly even according to the season. Did you know that during most Summers that the volume is only a third of its typical Winter volume? That's how much it varies.
Move the slider to see how much it varies in only eight weeks or so..

Sea Ice Extent: Polar Portal

polarportal.dk

 

[Bald Rick]

Arctic ice volume varies greatly even according to the season. Did you know that during most Summers that the volume is only a third of its typical Winter volume? That's how much it varies.
Move the slider to see how much it varies in only eight weeks or so..

Sea Ice Extent: Polar Portal

polarportal.dk

Yes but if you take the month when sea ice is naturally at its lowest - September - the rate of decline is some 12.85% per decade. That is quite startling. Now whether that is due to climate change or would have occurred naturally, I do not know but obviously a shrinking habitat is compressing the bears range, their hunting territory and the likelihood of human contact

https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/arctic-sea-ice/

 

[Cowabunga]

Yes but if you take the month when sea ice is naturally at its lowest - September - the rate of decline is some 12.85% per decade. That is quite startling. Now whether that is due to climate change or would have occurred naturally, I do not know but obviously a shrinking habitat is compressing the bears range, their hunting territory and the likelihood of human contact

https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/arctic-sea-ice/

Yet the bears continue to thrive while their food is more plentiful than ever. The evidence is not there to suggest that bears will be extinct in any time frame yet alone fantasy ones. They do not rely of sea ice. They rely on there not being sea ice so that they can catch seals which, in turn, thrive on plentiful access to plankton and fish from sea not covered by ice.

The ice story is another thing altogether, but current trends certainly do not point to a decline in polar bears but exactly the opposite. THAT is the point.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yet the bears continue to thrive while their food is more plentiful than ever. The evidence is not there to suggest that bears will be extinct in any time frame yet alone fantasy ones. They do not rely of sea ice. They rely on there not being sea ice so that they can catch seals which, in turn, thrive on plentiful access to plankton and fish from sea not covered by ice.

The ice story is another thing altogether, but current trends certainly do not point to a decline in polar bears but exactly the opposite. THAT is the point.

Seems that the "experts" cannot agree on exact numbers as the estimates range from 20,000-33,000 but WWF suggest that they are vulnerable

Polar bear population - WWF Arctic

How many polar bears are there? See current polar bear populations, IUCN Red List status by country and timeline of polar bear conservation.

arcticwwf.org

Not quite sure that all this has to do with rewilding East Anglia unless another ice age comes along ...............

 

[vantage]

Not quite sure that all this has to do with rewilding East Anglia unless another ice age comes along ...............

 

[FordsonFarming]

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/202...-huge-swathes-of-east-anglia-back-to-the-wild

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Lets be honest though, you are a train/tube driver. You are responsible for a train which could be carrying 100-200 passengers daily. These industries are regulated and insured to the hilt, as you would expect. They are highly trained too, I understand. Are we saying these guys should be paid less than folk driving HGVs?

Have you ever been on the tube? You would get more than that in one carriage

 

[ollie989898]

Have you ever been on the tube? You would get more than that in one carriage

Not in years.

 

[7610 super q]

is this thread about

Update, now we've had 3 pages arguing about Polar bears, and are about to launch into how many can we fit onto a tube carriage.