Population decline
Climate change is thought to be the biggest threat facing polar bears. In the Arctic the polar bear is a top predator that is highly dependent on sea ice to hunt. The drifting ice provides access to find its most important prey - ringed seals. Population decline, changes in behaviour and a worsening physical condition are already being observed, especially in the southern part of the species habitat range. It has been observed that climatic changes affect reproductive rates and conditions in the polar bear population in Svalbard, but many factors are interlinked and there are aspects that are not fully understood.