Report: Scientists say cannibalism increasing among polar bears in Arctic
Cannibalism is increasing among polar bears in the Arctic, according to a scientist with the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Ilya Mordvintsev, the senior researcher at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, says reports cannibalism among polar bears is not new.
However, scientists previously called the cases rare and now say they are recorded more often, according to Interfax, a news agency in Russia.
Mordvintsev cited two reasons when speaking with Interfax as to why there is an increase.
“During some seasons there is insufficient nutrition, and large males attack females with cubs, and maybe there weren’t so many people in the Arctic to record so many cases of cannibalism. Now the signals are coming not only from scientists, but also from the growing contingent of employees of oil and gas companies, the Ministry of Defense. We note that cannibalism of the polar bear is increasing," he said.
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Mordvintsev said people in the Arctic can greatly affect the lives of polar bears.
"With the active development in Yamal and the construction of an LNG processing plant, the passage from the Gulf of Ob to the Barents Sea began to operate year-round, which was not there before in winter. The Gulf of Ob has always been a hunting ground for polar bears. Now it has been destroyed all year round," he said.
Mordvintsev added there have been an increase in the number of cases where bears have been seen in towns and on the coast, Interfax reported.