Grolar bears-increasing? Begin debate

[Wolvie604]

8 confirmed hybrids since 2006. All from the same mama polar in the NWT. Goes to show you even bears have their types . First one was going to start at a 100k auction price for the coat until the cad government temporarily seized it (no issues with that, gave it back, now in an Inuit community building after owner semi donated it {sold for far less then worth}. Question is with the ice melting is this evolution? The best of the 2 big bear species?

thoughts?

 

[Hooverfb]

Without doing any research, I'd say it may just be from human population pushing bear populations closer together. Everyone and their brother wants to go be a bonafide mountain man now, and just our spread in general causes bears to intermingle in similar areas. I remember my parents telling me about polar bear attacks in alaska when I was a boy, that was over 25 years ago now, I'd imagine human growth has expanded and changed dynamics.

 

[Blockcaver]

If you've ever been to the high arctic you'd realize how vast the land is versus how few people there really are up there. Population of the NWT is 44,000 and Nunavut 39,000. NWT has 442,000 sq miles of area and Nunavut has 789,000 sq miles of area.

Who is to say that Growlers and Pizzlies are a recent thing occurring only in the past 20 or 30 years? Scientists suggest polar bears evolved from brown bears (grizzlies) just 150,000 years ago.

The Inuits have always lived off the land and are some of the toughest and most self reliant human beings I have met.

 

[WCB]

Here we go with the ice melting and Polar Bears floating away on icebergs. You stated in your post that all have 8 confirmed are directly linked to one female as the mom. Kill that one you now have none. No I do not think it is evolution in relation to climate.

I think a female Polar Bears home range seems to coincide with Male Grizzlies and thats that.

*FYI, I'm having fun with the first part don't take it too serious.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hmmmm. Can the two types of bears openly cross pollinate or is their something special about this female. Seems interesting. Also seems like it may happen more if climate and growing griz pops causes more overlap in territory.

 

[Wolvie604]

If you've ever been to the high arctic you'd realize how vast the land is versus how few people there really are up there. Population of the NWT is 44,000 and Nunavut 39,000. NWT has 442,000 sq miles of area and Nunavut has 789,000 sq miles of area.

Who is to say that Growlers and Pizzlies are a recent thing occurring only in the past 20 or 30 years? Scientists suggest polar bears evolved from brown bears (grizzlies) just 150,000 years ago.

The Inuits have always lived off the land and are some of the toughest and most self reliant human beings I have met.

This is well said and I agree. What we know and what we see in the North as greater society is very limited. It is clear that Grolars are at least rare as bears have been fairly well studied in the North, but having a glimpse vs significant generational knowledge is different. Probably there have been hybrids occasionally for a very long time.

couldn’t agree more about the Inuit, that is my experience with them as well.

 

[tdot]

I doubt that they are all from the same female bear. She would have to be 15 or 16 to have birthed all of them. What is likely meant is that a Polar Bear is the mother a Grizzly the Father. If it really was all the same mom, well, she just might have a thing for Grizzlies.

Hybrids exist elsewhere in the animal kingdom, Ligers are a thing, and as I recall it's the same sorta thing a Male Lion and a female Tiger. For whatever reason the it doesnt work the other way.

 

[BRTreedogs]

All I know if it had been 11 months since my last rut.
I'd be banging anything I could find no matter her color.

 

[Guy]

Darned if I know. Waiting for the science on this one.

Grizzlies are awesome, have seen a few. Shot one.

Polar bears are something I've never seen. Was tempted to hunt them, just because it would be an amazing adventure.

Waiting for more info. I understand that there are some folks studying this issue.

Regards, Guy

 

[menhaden_man]

Grizzly-Polar Bear Hybrid Found—But What Does It Mean?

The animal is certainly weird, scientists say, but he's not necessarily a symbol of global warming or anything else.

www.nationalgeographic.com