Wildlife of the Arctic

CLIMATE CHANGE: Climate change is already altering habitats all around the world. The polar regions have warmed by nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, and temperatures continue to increase two to three times faster than the average for the rest of the world. The summer ice cover is shrinking, permafrost is melting, and coastlines have been exposed to erosion, reducing the Albedo effect and therefore reinforcing the warming. In the Arctic, animals such as polar bears and walruses are losing their habitats. Sea ice is also disappearing in Antarctica, threatening the penguin species that live there.

OVERFISHING: Around the world, humans are taking fish out of the water faster than fish can reproduce. With sea ice decreasing, fishing in the Arctic is becoming an issue of increasing concern. In the Barents Sea, a relatively undisturbed area north of Norway and Russia, overfishing has led to a decline of fish species and threatened the future of important fisheries such as cod.

POLLUTION: Pollutants from human activities tend to make their way to polar regions, transported via ocean currents, migratory birds, and other means. Marine debris, which can entangle wildlife, may stick around for long periods as the region’s extended, dark, and cold winters inhibit the breakdown of chemicals. In addition, toxic contaminants become concentrated as they move up the food chain—a process called biomagnification—and are highest in top predators, such as polar bears. At the very top of the food chain, humans are also exposed to high levels of these toxins in traditional Arctic foods.

OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT: The Arctic holds some of the world’s largest untapped oil and gas reserves, but getting to those precious resources—whether on land or offshore—can have devastating environmental impacts. Infrastructure for these development projects can destroy habitats, fragment migration routes, and drain freshwater resources. And when something goes wrong and an oil spill occurs, Arctic wildlife can be killed and habitats contaminated for years.

RICH IN WILDLIFE: Polar landscapes are home to a rich diversity of wildlife, both on land and within the seas. Polar animals have evolved to survive life in the deep cold.

MIGRATING ANIMALS: Some animals, such as birds and whales, migrate long distances each summer, drawn by the abundant food supply or ideal nesting grounds in the Arctic.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TIED TO THE LANDSCAPE: Millions of people live in the Arctic, including many Indigenous peoples whose ancestors first came to the area thousands of years ago and who still depend on the landscape and wildlife for their livelihoods. Click here to learn about ivory in the Arctic.