Scientists expected the opposite, but polar bears in the Norwegian Arctic islands of Svalbard have become fatter and healthier since the early 1990s.
Polar bears rely on sea ice, which is declining, as a platform from which to hunt the seals that they rely on for blubber-rich meals.
The bears’ fat reserves provide energy and insulation and allow mothers to produce rich milk for cubs.
Researchers think that Svalbard bears have adapted to recent ice loss by eating more land-based prey, including reindeer and walruses.
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