A polar bear that showed up along Alaska’s Yukon Delta this week instantly gained celebrity status, with emailed photos taken by excited residents soon shooting around the state.
This summer, there have been multiple polar bear sightings along the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The appearances are rare but not unheard of. A few polar bears are typically seen there every three to five years, according to Biologist Tom Evans of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bear or bears spotted in Western Alaska this summer were likely hunting for seals on the sea ice along the nearby coast and were forced ashore when the ice melted, Evans said.
While Evans didn't directly link the bear's appearance to global warming, the biologist expects climate change to increase summertime bear sightings along Alaska's shores.
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