Introduction
Human beings impact the environment in various significant ways. Since the environment surrounds humans everywhere, their activities will likely have both positive and negative effects (Parker et al., 2021). However, the adverse effects are of more concern because the evolution of humans on Earth has brought more harm than good to the environment. Some examples of the negative impacts of human activities on the environment include pollution, erosion, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the misuse of natural resources (Parker et al., 2021). In all these, one of the most critical environmental impacts of human beings is on wildlife populations.
Wildlife populations are negatively affected because they usually lose their biodiversity whenever humans carry out activities that interfere with them and their environment. Human activities either destroy the habitats of wildlife populations, kill the species, or deprive them of the resources they need to survive (Riotte-Lambert & Matthiopoulos, 2020). Some species are often more endangered than others by these activities, and their biodiversity is likely to be lost as a result.
For instance, polar bears’ habitat depends on the climate because they live on sea ice. However, climate change can cause sea ice loss, leading to polar bears losing their habitats. (Born, 2019). As such, this paper focuses on the human environmental threats to polar bears, an endangered wildlife species in Canada, while also considering the mitigation measures that can be taken to protect them.
Threats to Polar Bears
Climate Change
As stated earlier, polar bears depend on sea ice for their survival. This is because they obtain their primary food, seals, from the water covered in ice, and they also rest and breed under this same ice-covered water. However, certain human activities threaten sea ice by causing climate change that leads to its melting (Born, 2019). Currently, the leading cause of climate change is global warming.
Global warming refers to the long-term increase in the Earth’s temperature resulting from various human activities. It is a serious phenomenon that changes the planet’s climate and raises sea levels. The leading cause of global warming is explained as the greenhouse effect. This is where the gases emitted from human activities cover the entire planet and trap the sun’s heat (Kweku et al., 2018). This heat causes the Earth to warm at a speed much higher than it should. Hence, the climate becomes warm, and the Arctic Sea ice melts, causing polar bears’ habitat to disappear.
The first human activity that contributes to global warming is the generation of electricity. One way to generate electricity is by burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas (Kweku et al., 2018). This activity causes massive emissions of Earth’s gases, contributing to climate change.
The second activity is manufacturing goods. Industries that manufacture goods also emit gases that trap heat and contribute to global warming. This is because industrial processes require energy produced by burning fossil fuels. Therefore, manufacturing goods such as clothing, food, electronics, and plastics contributes to global warming.
Thirdly, human transportation methods are a massive factor in climate change through global warming. Humans use cars, ships, planes, and trucks for transportation. These transportation methods rely on fossil fuels to operate and release greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and hydrocarbons, into the air (Kweku et al., 2018). As a result, the greenhouse effect occurs.
Lastly, deforestation significantly threatens the climate as it causes carbon dioxide emissions. Trees store carbon dioxide, and cutting them means the gas is released into the atmosphere, thereby causing the greenhouse effect and further warming the Earth, which in turn causes the sea ice to melt (Kweku et al., 2018). Notably, the unavailability of sea ice means that polar bears must move to a land with less food and an unsuitable environment to breed and rest (Riotte-Lambert & Matthiopoulos, 2020). They therefore starve, become restless, and have very few offspring. In other words, sea ice is crucial to polar bears, and climate change means losing their habitat.
Contamination and Pollution
Another significant human threat that endangers the polar bear species is pollution. Pollution is a human activity that introduces poisonous and harmful substances into the environment. In this case, human activities pollute the ice water in which polar bears live, causing detrimental effects on their health (Townhill et al., 2021). These health effects include compromised immune systems, impaired reproductive systems, reduced vitamin A levels, hormonal imbalances, and stunted growth and development.
It is important to note that polar bears are more vulnerable to aquatic pollution than other wildlife populations because they cannot thrive well in places other than along the coast or offshore. Humans contaminate and pollute the Arctic Sea ice environment through agricultural, commercial, and industrial activities(Townhill et al., 2021). When these activities are carried out, they are facilitated by artificial chemicals known as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). These chemicals have the potential to bio-accumulate in the ecosystem and are carried to the Arctic through atmospheric and oceanic currents (Townhill et al., 2021). For example, agricultural processes involve the use of pesticides to kill pests. These pesticides are one of the Persistent Organic Pollutants carried to the Arctic.
Another pollutant is mercury, which comes from human industrial activities. As polar bears are not the only Arctic species, they are the most affected by exposure to toxic environmental substances because they are at the top of the food chain (Townhill et al., 2021). This means they are the larger animals that feed on smaller animals. Since they primarily feed on seals and resort to dead whales when their habitats are destroyed, they also consume the chemicals found on these whales and seals that are brought about by pollution (Townhill et al., 2021). As a result, these chemicals accumulate in the bodies of polar bears, affecting their health and threatening their well-being and existence.
Tourism
Tourism also harms polar bears. For tourism purposes, some polar bears may be kept in zoos, allowing tourists to view them. However, the conditions in zoos are unsuitable for polar bears, as they thrive well in the Arctic (Woodruff et al., 2022). Other wildlife populations, such as lions, may thrive in zoos, but polar bears struggle to survive.
Recent research studies have shown that at least 300 polar bears are held in various zoos in Canada for tourism purposes and occasionally for circus shows (Woodruff et al., 2022). However, the conditions in zoos cause stress to these polar bears, as evidenced by symptoms such as head shaking, pacing, and swimming in abnormal patterns (D’Souza et al., 2021). As such, polar bears in zoos do suffer not only physically but also psychologically.
Tourism also affects polar bears that are not held captive in zoos. The polar bears are forced to migrate to land when the sea ice melts and face disturbances from tourists. Hence, the tourist industry benefits when bears move to the grounds. However, the natural progression of polar bears is affected during this time. The presence of humans and the sounds from their vehicles disturbs polar bears, causing them to behave differently (Woodruff et al., 2022).
Notably, resting is a significant behavior for female polar bears that contributes to the reproduction and feeding of their cubs. But when humans and their vehicles are present, polar bears are less likely to lie down and rest. Instead, they spend more time moving, standing, and sitting (Woodruff et al., 2022). As such, female polar bears are unable to properly care for their cubs and build their dens in peace. This indicates that tourists can impact the biology of polar bears.
Hunting and Killing
Hunting and killing of polar bears by humans threaten the species. In Canada, hunting and killing polar bears are permitted for native and non-native people. This means there are no legal actions against people who hunt polar bears; hence, they can quickly reduce the population of the species.
People hunt polar bears to sell their skin, eat meat, make clothes from their fur, and produce handicrafts. Between 2006 and 2017, data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) showed that at least 3,260 polar bear skins were exported from Canada (Sellheim, 2019). As such, hunting polar bears is a commercial activity undertaken by humans.
When it comes to killing, the Canadian population is allowed by the government to kill polar bears as a self-defense mechanism if their lives and properties are in danger. The killing of polar bears in self-defense is logical because they sometimes attack humans when hungry (Fobar, 2021). Polar bears are one of the species that attack humans for food.
A 2017 research study revealed that polar bears attacked 15 humans between 2010 and 2014 (Sellheim, 2019). In the same study, 47 individuals were found to have been attacked by polar bears between 1960 and 2009 (Sellheim, 2019). This is alarming because it indicates that human lives are at risk when interacting with polar bears in confined environments. Therefore, killing polar bears is justified in self-defense (Fobar, 2021). This means that the hunting and killing of polar bears are bound to happen when humans share closer environments with them, which endangers the species.
Mitigation Measures
Protecting polar bears is significant, as the species should not become extinct. Several mitigation measures can help protect polar bears. These measures must include halting global warming, regulating tourism, reducing pollution and contamination, and finding a way to end the hunting and killing of polar bears.
Stopping global warming is a response to the threat of climate change, mainly achievable through reducing greenhouse gas emissions that warm the Earth. As such, greenhouse gas emissions from the human activities discussed earlier should be stopped further. For instance, the world needs to generate electricity through renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, rather than by burning fossil fuels.
Additionally, programs should be established to plant trees at regular intervals, allowing the forest to remain intact and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The government should also ban deforestation. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by recycling or reusing manufacturing materials is a viable option in the manufacturing process. This can also be achieved using renewable energy. Electric vehicles should be widely adopted globally for transportation because they emit fewer greenhouse gases than traditional fuel vehicles (Vongraven et al., 2018). These mitigations are expected to stop global warming.
There are specific methods for removing pollutants in cases of pollution and contamination. These methods include coagulation, filtration, oxidation, and reverse osmosis (Vongraven et al., 2018). The government can set aside funds for these processes. The only way to mitigate this threat to tourism is by setting rules that prohibit the keeping of polar bears in zoos and restrict tourists from coming close to polar bears on land. Lastly, the hunting and killing of polar bears should be stopped by maintaining the habitats of polar bears, so they have no interactions with humans on the ground.
Likelihood of Mitigation Measures Implementation
All these mitigations are likely to be implemented because some countries and organizations have already started on them. With Canada contravening some of these, the focus is expected to be on the government to take the necessary actions to align itself with the global fight to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (Vongraven et al., 2018). Additionally, there has been a significant focus on environmental protection over the past decade, and the conversation continues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, human environmental activities have negative impacts on wildlife populations. One of Canada’s most endangered wildlife populations is the polar bear species. This is because human activities destroy their habitats, disturb their biological processes, introduce toxic chemicals to their bodies, and even kill them. Polar bears are a significant species. Therefore, these human activities should be mitigated to protect the polar bear species in many measures discussed.
References
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