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NEWS > SCIENCE > POLAR BEARS AND GRIZZLIES SET FOR EPIC BATTLE TO THE DEATH
POLAR BEARS AND GRIZZLIES SET FOR EPIC BATTLE TO THE DEATH
December 1 2010
Los Angeles, CA – The history of the planet is littered with the corpses of the dead. While such a statement may seem grand and even a little ridiculous, in a very real sense it is true. Obviously human beings have spent their fair share of blood 
throughout history, but so have millions, even billions of other species on this planet. While the demise of some of those species are certainly a result of man’s actions, the vast majority of them were felled through more mundane causes, primarily environmental changes and competition for food and territory.
Despite our history of wiping out species, human beings have probably done more to preserve life on this planet than we have done to end it. Conservation efforts over the century or so have resulted in the preservation and resurrection of hundreds of species of life that would have simply vanished without human interference. However we are not miracle workers and despite our best efforts some species continue to perish, something that will likely continue well into the future. Case-in-point is the ongoing battle between tow behemoths of the Americas, the Polar and Grizzly bears which scientists now believe are headed for a confrontation the likes of which the planet has never seen, and from which only one victor will emerge.
“This is one additional piece of evidence that things look pretty bleak for the polar bear, if current trends continue. To people who say polar bears can just change their diet, we are saying ... they will have to, but it probably will not be sufficient for them, especially if they are co-existing with grizzly bears,” said Graham Slater of University of California, Los Angeles. “These two species are already starting to come into contact and as the environmental conditions continue to change that is going to happen more and more often. The kicker here is that environment is altering to suit the needs of the grizzly which gives it a distinct home field advantage.”
Exclusively carnivores, the shrinking habitat of the polar bear has resulted in more foliage and fewer prey animals, an environment to which the grizzly is better adapted.
“Based on our models the jaws and skulls of grizzlies are simply more suited to things like chewing plant material. This will give them a distinct strategic advantage as they move further north and battle with polar bears. In any conflict it is supplies more than anything that can decide the eventual outcome and in this case the grizzlies are poised for the win,” continued Slater. “This may eventually spell the end of the mighty polar bear as we know it today. While some members of the species may eventually become integrated into the new grizzly dominated society it’s likely that the vast majority will die. Those animals which don’t will likely be largely unrecognizable as polars, meaning the end of the species for all intents and purposes.”
Grizzlies are a subspecies of brown bear which diverged from polar bears between 500-800 thousand years ago.
“Polar bears have long been regarded as the harshest, toughest mammal on the planet. Frankly there is little arguing that. They are attractive animals and their pups are cute, but make no mistake; they are stone cold killers. Their entire existence is based on killing, it’s their business and business is good,” said Scrape TV Zoology analyst Cambridge Walker. “However as in any conflict fighting spirit is nominal. Most wars are won and lost based on simply things like food supplies and numbers. Now that the grizzlies are starting to bring their home field to the polar bears, well there may be no way for the great white killers of the north to respond. They are likely in their end times and there’s little we humans can do about it.”
Meanwhile black bears are reportedly awaiting the outcome of the conflict.
Anna Phillips, Science Correspondent
NEWS > SCIENCE > POLAR BEARS AND GRIZZLIES SET FOR EPIC BATTLE TO THE DEATH
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