Nunavut Polar Bears at Risk From New Germs: GN-Sponsored Study

Polar bears may have little immunity to new germs and parasites likely to move north along with new animals as the Arctic climate warms. Animals in the Arctic are exposed to a low number of pathogens — that is, disease- and illness-causing viruses and bacteria—  and parasites, but with rapid climate warming, this is expected to change, say the authors of the Government of Nunavut-supported study recently published in the Animal Conservation journal. … “We greatly appreciate their efforts and thank the hunters,the Government of Nunavut, their technicians and conservation officers for the collection of polar bear tissues,” said the researchers led by Diane Weber from the New College of Florida.