According to Global warming alarmists something polar bears have been doing for thousands of years is now proof of global warming!
Male polar bears routinely eat the cubs of females to cut down on competition and to enable them to mate with the mother. This is well known, and very old news.
ARCTIC
Infanticide and Cannibalism of Juvenile Polar Bears (
The late formation of Arctic sea ice may be forcing some hungry and desperate polar bears in northern Manitoba to resort to cannibalism.
Eight cases of mature male polar bears eating bear cubs have been reported this year among the animals around Churchill, according to scientists.
Four cases were reported to Manitoba Conservation and four to Environment Canada.
Some tourists on a tundra buggy tour of the Churchill wildlife management area on Nov. 20 were shaken and started crying after witnessing a male bear eating a cub, said John Gunter, general manager for Frontiers North Adventures, an area tour operator.
"A big male polar bear separated a young cub from its mother and had its way with the cub," he said. "But the whole time, while that mother polar bear watched and witnessed, and actually after the big bears left, she still tried to take care of it.
"It was difficult for our guests to witness and it was difficult for me to hear about and learn about. It was a sombre day on the buggy that's for sure."
In recent years, Manitoba Conservation has received one to two reports each year about bear cannibalism.
Stirling said evidence suggests the cubs are being killed for food, not just so the male can mate with the sow. The Hudson Bay sea ice, which the bears use to get at the seals they need to fatten up for winter, isn't appearing until weeks later than it used to, he said
Eight cases of mature male polar bears eating bear cubs have been reported this year among the animals around Churchill, according to scientists.
Four cases were reported to Manitoba Conservation and four to Environment Canada.
Some tourists on a tundra buggy tour of the Churchill wildlife management area on Nov. 20 were shaken and started crying after witnessing a male bear eating a cub, said John Gunter, general manager for Frontiers North Adventures, an area tour operator.
"A big male polar bear separated a young cub from its mother and had its way with the cub," he said. "But the whole time, while that mother polar bear watched and witnessed, and actually after the big bears left, she still tried to take care of it.
"It was difficult for our guests to witness and it was difficult for me to hear about and learn about. It was a sombre day on the buggy that's for sure."
'It was difficult for our guests to witness and it was difficult for me to hear about and learn about. It was a somber day on the buggy that's for sure'—John Gunter, Frontiers North Adventures
Ian Stirling, a retired Environment Canada biologist who specializes in the Churchill bears, calls it the highest incidence of cannibalization he has ever seen.In recent years, Manitoba Conservation has received one to two reports each year about bear cannibalism.
Stirling said evidence suggests the cubs are being killed for food, not just so the male can mate with the sow. The Hudson Bay sea ice, which the bears use to get at the seals they need to fatten up for winter, isn't appearing until weeks later than it used to, he said
ARCTIC
VOL. 52, NO. 3 (SEPTEMBER 1999) P. 307–310
Infanticide and Cannibalism of Juvenile Polar Bears (
Ursus maritimus)
in Svalbard
A.E. DEROCHER
1 and Ø. WIIG2
(
Received 29 January 1999; accepted in revised form 9 June 1999)
Intraspecific predation, infanticide, and cannibalism
have been reported in polar bears
have been reported in polar bears
(Belikov et al., 1977;
Hansson and Thomassen, 1983; Larsen, 1985; Lunn and
Stenhouse, 1985; Taylor et al., 1985). However, some of
the instances have followed human activities such as
harvest or immobilization (Taylor et al., 1985). Regardless,
intraspecific predation has been suggested as a regulating
feature of ursid populations (e.g., McCullough,
1981; Young and Ruff, 1982; Larsen and Kjos-Hanssen,
1983; Stringham, 1983; Taylor et al., 1985).
Hansson and Thomassen, 1983; Larsen, 1985; Lunn and
Stenhouse, 1985; Taylor et al., 1985). However, some of
the instances have followed human activities such as
harvest or immobilization (Taylor et al., 1985). Regardless,
intraspecific predation has been suggested as a regulating
feature of ursid populations (e.g., McCullough,
1981; Young and Ruff, 1982; Larsen and Kjos-Hanssen,
1983; Stringham, 1983; Taylor et al., 1985).
Five main reasons for infanticide have been proposed:
exploitation of young as an energy source, competition for
resources, sexual selection, parental manipulation of progeny,
and social pathology (Hrdy and Hausfater, 1984). We
cannot assess the possible role of competition for resources
or social pathology. In neither observation was the
mother responsible for the infanticide; therefore, maternal
manipulation of the offspring was not involved.
Polar bear cubs weighing a few kilograms are a very
small energy source for an adult polar bear that normally
feeds on ringed seals (
exploitation of young as an energy source, competition for
resources, sexual selection, parental manipulation of progeny,
and social pathology (Hrdy and Hausfater, 1984). We
cannot assess the possible role of competition for resources
or social pathology. In neither observation was the
mother responsible for the infanticide; therefore, maternal
manipulation of the offspring was not involved.
Polar bear cubs weighing a few kilograms are a very
small energy source for an adult polar bear that normally
feeds on ringed seals (
Phoca hispida) weighing up to 60 kg
and bearded seals (
Erignathus barbatus) weighing up to
several hundred kilograms (Stirling and Archibald, 1977).
There is speculation that adult males may obtain a
breeding opportunity with adult females if they kill their
dependent offspring and the female becomes available for
breeding (Hayssen, 1984; Hrdy and Hausfater, 1984).
There is speculation that adult males may obtain a
breeding opportunity with adult females if they kill their
dependent offspring and the female becomes available for
breeding (Hayssen, 1984; Hrdy and Hausfater, 1984).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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So there we have it. The references go back to 1972. Did you see how long the reference list is? But predation by males is supposed to be something new brought on by the supposed shrinking of sea ice in the last decade?
The dishonesty of the GW libral hoaxers is galling. Thier manipulation of the media is frightening. And their assumption that True Chrsitians™ can't do a simple fact check is wildly amusing!
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