A "New" Kind of Bear Appears in the Arctic

by Siwoo Park, age 12

Pizzlies or grolar bears are the offspring of grizzlies and polar bears. While it is a rare occurrence for these two kinds of bears to mate, changing climates and global warming have expanded the habitat range of some species, leading to more overlap and intermingling between these two types of bears. The Grolar bear is a representation and sign of how animals are adapting to the ever changing climates of Earth.

Grizzly and polar bears sit at the top of the food chain in North America, but grizzlies live mostly in the U.S and Canada, while polar bears live in the Arctic and northern Canada. Since the Arctic is warming up, polar bears are traveling south and crossing paths with grizzlies. When these species reproduce, their offspring is a pizzly or a grolar bear, depending on which kind of bear their father was. Grolar bears are created when the father is a grizzly bear, and pizzlies are created when the father is a polar bear.

Grolar bears were first discovered (and shot) by a hunter in 2006. Since that encounter, people have reported seeing more of these hybrids, but scientists say these crossbreeds are still a rare occurrence. Although these animals may be fascinating, there is an urgent and ominous undertone of their existence, reminding us how Earth is warming rapidly.

Researchers are also worried that there might be an extinction of polar bears if the breeding with grizzlies continues. Even though there are concerns, researchers are still captivated as the grolar bears are much more adapted to the warming weather than polar bears could be.

The white, brown-speckled bear is a sight to behold, and a cue to take actions that will protect the Earth. Although this species is rarely reported, people still have to be careful of what they do and prevent more pollution.

[Source: Smithsonian Magazine; Discover Magazine; Vanderbilt University]