Skin lesions, ulcers, hair loss and painful ice build-ups have been found for the first time on the limbs of some polar bears living in the northernmost regions of the Arctic. These problems appear to be caused by changing sea ice conditions, influenced by climate change, according to a study led by University of Washington researcher Kristin Laidre, in collaboration with Canadian veterinarian Stephen Atkinson.

Between 2012 and 2022, researchers monitored two polar bear populations located above 70 degrees north latitude. In the Kane Basin population, which is located between Canada and Greenland, 31 of 61 bears showed signs of ice-related injuries, such as bald patches on their skin, cuts, or scars. In the second population in eastern Greenland, 15 of 124 bears showed similar injuries.

Additionally, in 2022, two bears were observed in different locations in Greenland with huge chunks of ice stuck in their paws. “I have never seen anything like this,” Laidre says. “The two most affected bears struggled to run and could not even walk comfortably. During the monitoring, we had to immobilize them for research; while we were examining them, we carefully removed the chunks of ice: they were not just stuck in their fur, but attached to the skin itself and it seemed obvious that they were in pain when we touched their paws.”

Researchers have been tracking these two polar bear populations since the 1990s but have never before documented injuries of this type. A review of the scientific literature and accounts from indigenous hunters indicate that this is a relatively recent phenomenon. “We have seen these ice-related injuries in individual bears,” Laidre continues, “but it would be premature to draw hasty conclusions about the impact on the overall population. We don’t have enough data yet to really understand the situation.”