Consensus polar bear expert Andrew Derocher has been busy over the last few weeks, expounding a story of doom regarding Svalbard area polar bears (e.g. here and here), ridiculing the suggestion that Franz Josef Land is viable alternate habitat for Barents Sea bears, especially pregnant females looking for a place to den and give birth. But the facts say otherwise.
Svalbard sea ice 2nd lowest on record @Istjenesten Poor conditions for #polarbears. Next time a denier says polar bears will be fine, ask them "How will the bears survive without sea ice?" Or "Where do they currently live without sea ice?" It's not complicated: it's habitat loss. pic.twitter.com/nV6Nyb8PNL
— Andrew Derocher (@AEDerocher) December 21, 2017
Below are the long answers, with references and ice maps, to the questions Derocher asked in his 21 December 2017 tweet (above), a refreshing change from the ‘take my word for it, I’m the official expert’ answer one gets from him, along with derogatory slurs directed at those who don’t share his pessimism.
UPDATED 1 February 2019. Two references added.
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