On Thin Ice: Following Polar Bears to the Frontlines of Climate Change with Elisabeth Kruger

Summary:

Polar bears have been a symbol of climate change for a long time—and for good reason. Their icy home in the Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the planet, affecting the habits and lifestyle of polar bears and other Arctic residents in a big way. With these changes come new challenges for both polar bears and people alike.

This week, we meet one of the experts leading the charge to help polar bears, humans, and other Arctic wildlife navigate these changes—World Wildlife Fund's Elisabeth Kruger.

As WWF’s Manager of Arctic Wildlife, Elisabeth Kruger works at the forefront of conservation, mitigating threats to the marine wildlife of Alaska. Over the last 13 years, Elisabeth has worked with WWF to help polar bears and other Arctic marine mammal populations thrive alongside people in what’s becoming an increasingly warmer and ice-free Arctic.

In this episode, we'll learn about the unique characteristics that make polar bears well suited to the extreme climate of the Arctic, find out how climate change is affecting polar bears' habits and creating conflict with their human neighbors, and discover the vital importance of Arctic conservation efforts.

Listen along with your friends, parents, and teachers as we share discussion questions and helpful definitions...there’s even a quiz at the end of the episode where you can show off what you've learned! So, join Zach as We the Children visits the icy Arctic to learn about Arctic conservation and polar bears with Elisabeth Kruger!

Highlights:

• Elisabeth on the challenges and beauty of living in extreme environments (03:17)
• How is climate change uniquely impacting the Arctic and creating challenges for polar bears? (04:24)
• Elisabeth's memorable polar bear encounter (08:33)
• Polar bear adaptations and characteristics (10:47)
• Local Weather Report! (16:23)
• Global polar bear conservation efforts (17:56)
• Why is it difficult to estimate polar bear populations? (22:44)
• How has climate change increased the potential for conflicts between humans and polar bears? (26:11)
• Indigenous knowledge and arctic food security (28:04)
• Wrap Up & Quiz! (31:47)

Links:

Guest Bio: WWF Website

LinkedIn: Elisabeth Kruger

WWF Wild Classroom: Polar Bear Curriculum

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