Alaska, a land of pristine natural wonders and rich biodiversity, faces a concerning reality: many precious animal species are on the brink of extinction. From majestic polar bears to playful sea otters, climate change and human activities are creating unprecedented challenges for Alaska’s fragile ecosystems. This article will take you on a journey to discover the endangered animals of Alaska, delving into the causes and consequences of this situation, and calling for action to protect their future.
Polar Bears: A Desperate Symbol of Climate Change
Polar bears, hailed as the “lords of the Arctic,” are not only a symbol of Alaska but also the clearest measure of the impact of climate change. Ice floes, their home and source of life, are melting at an alarming rate. The latest research in the journal Nature Climate Change has sounded the alarm: polar bears could disappear from the wild within the next 80 years if global warming trends are not controlled.
A polar bear in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, 1985. The melting ice threatens their habitat.
Steven Amstrup, chief scientist of Polar Bears International, emphasizes that polar bears are facing prolonged starvation due to early ice melt and late freeze-up. The shortened hunting season prevents them from accumulating enough fat reserves for the harsh winter. Reduced body weight means a serious decline in the survival and reproduction rates of polar bears. Research shows that a male bear in West Hudson Bay now weighs 20% less than normal, and its energy reserves are only sufficient to sustain life for 125 days instead of the previous 200 days. Underweight mother bears also directly affect the health and survival rate of their cubs.
Among the 13 polar bear populations analyzed, as many as 12 populations are at risk of declining by 10% in the next 80 years. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the Earth, and this is pushing this iconic animal to the brink of extinction. Currently, it is estimated that there are only about 25,000 wild polar bears worldwide, and this number continues to decline.
Alaskan Sea Otters: Fragile Recovery and New Challenges
Alaskan sea otters, small mammals that play a vital role in marine ecosystems, are also facing numerous threats. Once hunted to the brink of extinction in the 20th century, sea otters have made a remarkable recovery thanks to conservation efforts. However, this recovery remains fragile and is threatened by climate change, environmental pollution, and industrial activities.
Climate change affects sea otters through changes in habitat and food sources. Warming oceans can reduce the quantity and quality of kelp forests, a critical habitat for sea otters. In addition, ocean acidification due to CO2 absorption also affects shellfish, their primary food source.
Environmental pollution, especially oil and chemical pollution, is also a major threat to sea otters. Sea otter fur plays a role in keeping their bodies warm, but when contaminated with oil, this ability is impaired, making them susceptible to hypothermia and death. Major oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989, have had devastating impacts on sea otter populations in Alaska.
Industrial activities, such as oil and gas exploration and fishing, can also have negative impacts on sea otters through noise pollution, habitat destruction, and competition for food sources.
Pacific Walruses: Habitat and Food Source Loss Risks
Pacific walruses, massive mammals with distinctive tusks, are also on the list of endangered animals in Alaska. Like polar bears, walruses depend on sea ice for breeding, foraging, and resting. Climate change is reducing sea ice area, forcing walruses to move ashore in large numbers, causing overcrowding and danger.
Overcrowded beaches make walruses vulnerable to stampedes, especially young walruses. In addition, moving inland also forces them to travel further to forage, consuming more energy and increasing the risk of attacks from land predators.
Climate change also affects the walruses’ food sources. They mainly feed on benthic invertebrates, and changes in ocean temperature and acidity can reduce the quantity and diversity of these species.
Steller’s Eiders: Rare Seabird in Rapid Decline
Steller’s eiders, a rare seabird inhabiting Alaska and Russia, are experiencing an alarming population decline. Although not fully considered globally endangered, the Alaskan population of Steller’s eiders has been listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act.
The causes of Steller’s eider decline are not fully understood, but scientists believe that climate change, environmental pollution, and habitat changes play a significant role.
Climate change can affect Steller’s eiders through changes in breeding and foraging environments. Arctic warming can alter the timing and location of their breeding, as well as affect their food source, which is benthic invertebrates.
Environmental pollution, especially oil and heavy metal pollution, can also harm Steller’s eiders. They can be poisoned by eating contaminated food or direct contact with pollutants.
Habitat changes, due to industrial activities and urban development, can also reduce suitable breeding and foraging areas for Steller’s eiders.
Conservation Solutions: Hope and Action
Faced with the threat of extinction of many precious animal species in Alaska, scientists, conservation organizations, and governments are working to implement conservation solutions.
Habitat Conservation: Protecting and restoring the natural habitats of animals is key to ensuring their survival. This includes protecting critical sea ice areas for polar bears and walruses, protecting coastlines and estuaries for sea otters and Steller’s eiders, and protecting forests and tundra for other terrestrial animals.
Mitigating Climate Change: Climate change is the root cause of many threats to wildlife in Alaska. Therefore, mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most important and long-term conservation measure.
Pollution Control: Reducing environmental pollution, especially oil and chemical pollution, is crucial to protect the health of wildlife and their habitats. This requires implementing strict pollution control measures for industrial and transportation activities.
Sustainable Management of Human Activities: Human activities, such as fishing, oil and gas exploration, and tourism, need to be managed sustainably to minimize negative impacts on wildlife. This includes establishing strict regulations on resource extraction, limiting polluting activities, and promoting responsible ecotourism.
Research and Monitoring: Continued research and monitoring of wildlife populations and their habitats is crucial to track conservation status, evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures, and make science-based management decisions.
Conclusion: Join Hands for Alaska’s Wildlife Future
The endangered animals of Alaska are not just wild creatures; they are an integral part of the unique and diverse ecosystem of this land. Their disappearance would have serious consequences for the ecosystem and the human communities that depend on Alaska’s nature.
Protecting Alaska’s wildlife is not only the responsibility of governments and conservation organizations, but also the responsibility of each of us. We can join hands in action in many ways, from reducing our personal carbon footprint, supporting environmental protection policies, to raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation.
Let’s work together to protect Alaska’s precious animals, so that future generations will still have the opportunity to admire the pristine beauty and richness of nature here.