Polar bears prowling Newfoundland come on prime of coronavirus fears

From Polar Bear Science

Posted on March 19, 2020 |

On Tuesday 17 March 2020, a number of polar bears have been reported in and across the neighborhood of St. Anthony on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, including one other risk on prime of coronavirus considerations within the province. The photograph beneath is from a 2018 Newfoundland sighting from the identical area: none can be found for the present report.

There have been no reviews of bother however locals should keep vigilant to stay secure, which since 2008 has been a typical concern from late winter to early spring. In 2012 on this space, a bear was shot after it destroyed properties and attacked livestock; one other bear was shot the following week in the identical space. And in 2016 and 2017, a bear needed to be shot to guard residents. Bears presently of yr are in looking mode, which is why my polar bear assault thriller novel, EATEN, is ready in March.

Present sea ice circumstances beneath.

There’s a bit much less ice than common off Newfoundland in the mean time however loads of ice thick sufficient to assist polar bears (see chart beneath). The bears are within the space to feed off the plentiful inhabitants of harp seals which can be at present giving start within the space. Younger seals will likely be accessible prey for polar bears for the following eight weeks or so. St. Anthony on the northern peninsula is marked on the map: