Bozeman, Montana – Research conducted by scientists from the University of Toronto, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Polar Bears International has uncovered a link between climate change and the lactation of polar bears. Published today in Marine Ecology Progress Series, Lactation performance in polar bears is associated with fasting time and energetic state, the study finds that when melting sea ice forces polar bears to spend more time fasting on land, polar bear mothers produce lower-energy milk or stop producing milk for their cubs altogether.
New Study Reveals Potential Impact of Sea Ice Loss on Polar Bear Lactation
As polar bears spend more time fasting on land due to disappearing sea ice, moms stop producing milk or produce less energetically-rich milk for their cubs
