Climate change is pushing polar bears to extinction, but a warming world has also created a new animal that will continue the genes of the species – “pizzly bears”.
Paleontologist Larisa DeSantis told DailyMail.com that polar bears retreat ashore to find food as sea ice melts and mates with grizzly bears traveling to Alaska.
“This new type of bear is more resistant to climate change and is more suitable for warmer temperatures,” said DeSantis.
It blames the disappearance of polar bears on its specialized fat diet, but with the fall of sea ice, animals are unable to hunt seals and may find it difficult to adapt to the warming Arctic.
“It doesn’t look good for polar bears,” DeSantis explained.
– I studied sword-toothed cats. The results of the fossils show that they also had specialized diets, and when food supplies disappeared, so did they.
Scroll down for the video
Paleontologist Larisa DeSantis told DailyMail.com that polar bears retreat ashore to find food as sea ice melts and mates with grizzly bears traveling to Alaska – and the offspring are known as “teddy bears” (pictured) )
DeSantis, along with former student Ansley Petherick, conducted a recent study to assess whether and how the polar bear diet differs in a warming world.
They analyzed the remains of 20 polar bears – 10 mandibles and 10 skulls that were discovered during archaeological excavations.
Some of the remains date back 1,000 years to the medieval warming period, giving a glimpse of the old polar bear.
The team looked to see if any of the teeth showed strong food patterns, but no evidence was found to suggest this.
Polar bears have a specialized fat diet, but with the fall of sea ice, animals cannot hunt seals and may find it difficult to adapt to the warming Arctic.
Specimens that were about 1,000 years old are indistinguishable from modern polar bears, but they have found that some today consume heavier foods to which they are not well adapted.
“Polar bears are so specialized in seal hunting that they may find it harder to adapt to the warming Arctic,” said DeSantis, who specializes in dental microwear among carnivores.
“The shift to strong food consumption in a handful of bears in the 21st century is also worrying. Polar bears may reach a tipping point and may now be forced to eat less favorite foods.
DeSantis and her team also compared the mouths of polar bears with those of a grizzly bear, which demonstrated the ability to adapt during warm periods.
“The polar bear and the grizzly bear shared a common ancestor 500,000 to 600,000 years ago, but then they diverged,” she said.
The molars of a polar bear are smaller than a grizzly bear, but their canines are larger. This is because, in essence, they eat jello all day, practically coarse. But to compensate, polar bears have elongated skulls, which are well adapted to affectively hunt seals.
“The molars of a polar bear are smaller than a grizzly bear, but their canines are larger.”
This is because, in essence, they eat jello all day, practically coarse.
“But to compensate, polar bears have elongated skulls, which are well adapted to emotionally hunt seals.”
However, these elongated skulls can be what prevents them from switching to a new diet, as they make it harder for bears to eat heavier food.
DeSantis, along with former student Ansley Petherick, conducted a recent study to assess whether and how the polar bear diet differs in a warming world. They analyzed the remains of 20 polar bears – 10 mandibles and 10 skulls that were discovered during archeological excavations
Specimens that were about 1,000 years old are indistinguishable from modern polar bears, but they have found that some people today eat heavier foods to which they are not well adapted.
Sea ice is crucial for the survival of polar bears, as they have used the structure to hunt seals coming from the water for air.
Unlike polar bears, grizzly bears are well adapted to eating hard foods, such as vegetable tubers or to remove carcasses when resources are limited.
The changing terrain caused by the warm climate also means that grizzly bears can venture further north and compete with polar bears for whatever food is available.
However, the northward movement of grizzly bears could lead to the polar bear gene in what is known as the spicy bear.
These rare hybrid creatures were first seen in the wild in 2006 and were seen as far south as Idaho.
These bears have a mostly white fur with a brown tinge and a nose that is a cross between a polar bear and a grizzle.