Shrinking Arctic sea ice forces polar bears to consume more seabird eggs, threatening bird populations

A new study co-led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Cooper Island Arctic Research, published in the journal Polar Research, documents a dramatic increase in polar bear predation on black guillemots and common eiders along Alaska's Arctic coast. This shift in diet is directly linked to shrinking summer sea ice, which leaves polar bears with less access to their traditional seal prey, forcing them to spend more time on land and consume seabird eggs, destabilizing the ecosystem.