Churchill's record-high temperatures are problematic for polar bears

The Town of Churchill has been seeing some unusually warm temperatures, which is creating concerns for the Arctic sea ice, as well as animals that rely on it.

This year, Churchill saw record-high temperatures in January, April, May and June.

Though some may think warmer temperatures are a good thing for such a chilly community, in this case, it’s problematic for the polar bears. If the sea ice thaws early, then polar bears will retreat onto the land earlier and will go through a longer period of time without eating very much.

“Sea ice, specifically for polar bears, is a platform to hunt for their main source of food which is seals,” said Dylan McCart, executive director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre.

“It has a major native impact on our Arctic species up here.”

McCart said the sea ice typically melts in the Hudson Bay around July 15, but this year there was sea ice break up around June 17. This means that polar bears will go for longer without sea ice this year.

It’s estimated that the sea ice will form again around Nov. 15. However, if that is extended until December, polar bears might reach a threshold of 180 days on land, which could cause a decline in the species.

“They don’t typically eat too much throughout the summer. They opportunistically hunt bird eggs or they’ll eat carcasses that they find, but they’ll lose about two pounds of fat per day,” he said.

For those who want to help, McCart recommends voting for politicians who are environmentally friendly and are looking for ways to reduce the carbon output.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.