New research finds polar bears are reshaping gene activity to survive warming Arctic conditions, but scientists warn adaptation may fail without urgent cuts to global carbon emissions this century worldwide.
Polar bears are changing their DNA in an effort to adapt to climate change, according to a new study. However, researchers warn that if current carbon emission levels continue, nearly two-thirds of the world’s polar bears could become extinct by 2050. The species could disappear entirely by the end of this century.
Scientists say this is the first study to statistically demonstrate the effects of rising temperatures on a wild mammal. Researchers found that polar bears living in southeastern Greenland have altered the behavior of certain genes linked to heat stress, aging and metabolism. These changes suggest the animals are attempting to adapt to warmer conditions.
The survival of polar bears is increasingly under threat due to climate change. Researchers fear that continued fossil fuel use and rising global temperatures could push the species toward extinction within decades.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of East Anglia by analyzing blood samples from polar bears in two regions of Greenland. The team focused on so-called “jumping genes,” which can move within DNA and influence the function of other genes. These genes are particularly active in polar bears.
“By comparing the active genes of these bears with the local climate, we found that the activity of the jumping gene in the DNA of bears in southeast Greenland increased dramatically as temperatures rose,” said study leader Dr. Alice Godden.
According to the researchers, climate-driven changes in habitat and food sources are also influencing the bears’ genetic makeup. Understanding these changes could offer insights into how polar bears might survive in a warming world, which species are most at risk and what conservation steps are needed.
Dr. Godden said this is the first evidence that polar bears in the warmest part of Greenland are rapidly rearranging their DNA through jumping genes as a desperate strategy to survive in conditions such as melting ice.
Southeastern Greenland is warmer and has thinner ice sheets than northeastern Greenland. While DNA sequences naturally change over time, extreme environmental stress such as rapid climate warming can accelerate this process.
The researchers also found genetic changes linked to diet. As melting sea ice makes it harder for bears to hunt seals, their primary food source, they are increasingly forced to rely on low-fat foods on land. This shift is affecting genes related to fat digestion.
“We have identified areas in the genome where jumping genes are highly active,” Dr. Godden said. “Some of these genes are located in regions where proteins are made, suggesting that fundamental genetic changes are happening rapidly due to habitat loss and ice melt.”
Next, scientists plan to study 20 polar bear subpopulations worldwide to determine whether similar genetic changes are occurring elsewhere.
While the research offers some hope, scientists stress that it is not a solution on its own. Without meaningful reductions in global carbon emissions, the risk of extinction will remain high.
“We must not be complacent,” Dr. Godden warned. “This research shows signs of adaptation, but it does not guarantee survival. Reducing global warming is still essential if polar bears are to be saved.”
