Pollutants in polar bears in the Barents Sea
Polar bears are among the most vulnerable species to climate change and they also have very high levels of environmental pollutants. Polar bears from the Barents Sea area have two different strategies: pelagic polar bears follow the ice to the northeast when the ice melts in the summer, while coastal bears stay close to Svalbard year-round. This can have consequences for exposure to environmental pollutants. We are researching levels of environmental pollutants in relation to the two strategies and factors that can affect environmental pollutant levels: diet, energy needs and emissions.