Polar Bears Now Hunting And Devouring Dolphins, Say Norwegian Scientists

For the first time ever, scientists have witnessed polar bears preying not on seals, but on dolphins. The new findings may indicate that these species may be adapting to climate change.

In this case, Norwegian scientists witnessed an adult male polar bear hunt on two white-beaked dolphins in mid-April of 2014. In fact, the polar bear outright ate one of the dolphins while covering the other one with snow for later.

"It is likely that new species are appearing in the diet of polar bears due to climate change because new species are finding their way north," said Jon Aars of the Norwegian Polar Institute in an interview with AFP, according to The Guardian.

Climate change is causing increasing areas of the Arctic to be ice-free during the summer months. Although dolphins often visit Svalbard in warmer months, they haven't been reported that far north in early spring. As climate change continues, though, they are journeying further north and are encountering the polar bears.

This is particularly good news for polar bears. As sea ice thins, fewer seals, the polar bears' staple food, will be available. This means that the bears will have to turn to alternative food sources in the future.

"I don't think that this signifies a great upheaval in the diet of carnivores," said Aars in an interview with The Guardian. "It's just that the polar bear is coming into contact with species they have not been used to meeting until now.

The latest findings are published in the journal Polar Research

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