This 16-year-old male polar bear died of starvation resulting from the lack of ice on which to hunt seals. Photograph: Ashley Cooper/Global Warming Images
Renowned polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling, who has studied the bears for almost 40 years, describes this
polar bear found dead in Svalbard as "little more than skin and bones," having perished due to a lack of sea ice on which to hunt seals:
"From his lying position in death the bear appears to simply have starved and died where he dropped," Stirling said. "He had no external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone."
The bear had been examined by scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute in April in the southern part of Svalbard, an Arctic island archipelago, and appeared healthy. The same bear had been captured in the same area in previous years, suggesting that the discovery of its body, 250km away in northern Svalbard in July, represented an unusual movement away from its normal range. The bear probably followed the fjords inland as it trekked north, meaning it may have walked double or treple that distance
This is what the
Koch brothers' business model is producing. The Koch PAC is the largest oil and gas contributor—donating more than even ExxonMobil. Koch Industries sends 90 percent of these contributions to Republicans.
It's the fourth largest lobbyist in the oil and gas industry, funding $67,042,064 to groups denying climate change science since 1997. And emits over 300 million tons of greenhouse gases a year.
Thanks to Brad Johnson for sending out this photo: @climatebrad