Threats to Polar Bears

Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSeven key threats have been identified as already impacting, or most likely to have an impact on the polar bear and its habitat during the lifetime of the Range States Circumpolar Action Plan (2015-2025). These threats are addressed in the 2-3 years Implementation Plans with the aim to avoid negative long-term effects to polar bears. These threats are: climate change, human-caused mortality, mineral and energy resource exploration and development, contaminants and pollution, shipping, tourism related activities, and diseases and parasites. The threats may interact and have compound effects, so consideration should also be given to the cumulative impacts.

The diagram below shows the threats to polar bears identified most likely to have an impact on the species during the lifetime of the CAP (2015-2025), the estimated level of concern (low, medium, high), and connection to the CAP objectives.
Click on the 🔗icons in the diagram for further information on each Threat and Objective.

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Source: Circumpolar Action Plan