“[S]ea ice loss did not lead to a reduction in BC [body condition] among adult BS [Barents Sea] bears. Rather, after around 2000…both males and females of different reproductive categories increased in body condition for the following two decades.” — Aars et al., 2026

Thick sea ice is not a necessary condition for polar bear health and survival.

As local residents regularly observe, today polar bears successfully hunt bearded seal “when sea ice is absent.”

They also routinely feed on harbour seals, walrus, and reindeer throughout the summer.

Consequently, despite the expectation that a reduction in sea ice would harm polar bear populations, not only has the body condition (BC) of Svalbard bears improved since 2000, “the population has been increasing” for the last 50 years.

Interestingly, Svalbard polar bears – especially males – in the colder northern regions with thicker sea ice are in worse body condition (shown in blue) than bears in the warmer southern regions (red).

Image Source: Aars et al., 2026