Do Scientists know the size of polar bear populations?
“Estimates of the size of polar bear populations have relied largely on mark-recapture techniques (DeMaster et al. 1980, Stirling et al. 1980, Schweinsburg et al. 1982, Furnell and Schweinsburg 1984, Amstrup et al. 1986). However, accurate and precise estimates of population size are lacking because sample sizes are small due to logistic constraints imposed by studying an animal distributed at low density over large and often inaccessible areas.”[8] “There are few places in the world where biologists would admit to not knowing whether a bear population was increasing, decreasing, or stable, yet the reality is that there are few places where we really do know for sure how bears are faring.”[9] “Because most bear populations are of unknown size, a record of increasing known deaths is often taken as prima facie evidence of a population decline. Moreover, even poor records with no clear trend but occasional documentation of a surge of deaths may be cause to fear a population decline.”[10]
