The environmental wackos got it wrong.
During a luncheon yesterday with one of the hunting and fishing groups I am affiliated with, we were discussing Polar Bears. Fish and Game had some new information to give us. For several years F&G have been trying to determine the cause of the decline of Musk-Ox on the North Slope. They suspected, but needed proof before they would commit to naming the predator. Now Polar Bears have been discovered hunting, killing, and eating, Musk-Ox. This is occurring on Alaska's North Slope miles away from the ocean. The Bears have discovered a food source and are making the best of it. So much for the idea of Polar Bears not being able to live on dry land, like the environmental groups are claiming. I brought up the point that recent DNA testing found Polar Bears are closely related to Grizzly Bears. Basically they are Grizzly Bears adapted to hunting on the sea ice. In my opinion there is no reason they could not live on dry land. I pointed out the Polar Bear found at Fort Yukon, 250 miles from the ocean, a few years back. That Polar Bear had been living on dry land for quite a while. It did not make that 250 mile trek over night. The Polar Bear was healthy, and in good shape, indicating it had been eating regularly.
As we were breaking up, one of the guys cornered me to discuss something with me. He asked if I go to a certain location frequently during the winter. I informed him that I was a regular there. He said they have had several reports from reputable sources of a Polar Bear living in the area. This is South of the Yukon River, way south of the Arctic Circle, around 400 miles from the Arctic Ocean. He asked me not to divulge the exact location, but if in the area to try and locate it, and get a picture if possible. Yea right, me color blind as all get out, take a picture of a white bear in white snow.
