Polar bears found thriving in Greenland despite lack of sea ice

In rare turn of events, a group of polar bears have been discovered in south-east Greenland, despite the lack of sea-ice in the area.

The researchers who found the group said that the species survived because of freshwater ice they were being able to access to from glaciers that discharges into the sea.

It is believed that this group of polar bears was isolated from other groups for more than 100 years.

The team that found the group of polar bears believes that the discovery proves that a small-number of polar bears may be able to survive in ice-free Arctic.

Dr Kristin Laidre from University of Washington and the first author of the study said, “I do think they can teach us something about where rare, small numbers of polar bears might be able to hang on in an ice-free Arctic.”

In the study, the team mentions that two groups of polar bears were found on the Greenland coastline, one which lives above 64 degrees north, and the other below, in the south-east of the island. Only the second group qualified to be known as a new sub-population.

But this hope may only be restricted to the existence of polar bears.

Since early May, around of 500 of Kororā (also known as little blue penguins) have washed up dead on the beaches of New Zealand’s North Island. The birds are known to be native to the country.

While scientists are still in the process of determining why the birds are dying, many suspect climate change to be the reason.

Some experts believe that due to global warming, fish have begun to descend deeper into cooler water, which is resulting in the birds starving to death.

Other experts believe that the Kororā may be dying due to hypothermia as the lack of food is driving them to shed their blubber and without the necessary blubber, they are unable to dive deep to hunt for fish.