A victim of climate change
A polar bear's dead body found on the Arctic island of Svalbard, the northernmost part of Norway, has shocked experts who say climate change may be to blame for the death. The starved polar bear in Norway was said to be in good bones by the time a group of explorers came across its body in July.
The bear is thought to have been heading north in a desperate search for sea ice that would allow it to hunt for seals."From his lying position in death, the bear appears to simply have starved to health in April when the Norwegian Polar Institute examined and labeled it. However, the animal was reduced to skin and bones and died where he dropped," polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling, a professor at the University of Alberta said, "He had external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone."
Stirling believes the bear starved to death as a result of a lack of sea ice which the animals use as a platform for hunting seals. That may also explain why the 16-year-old male bear was found about 155 miles north of where it was seen in April.
Arctic sea ice reached a record low in 2012, according to a report released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that pointed to continued signs of climate change.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies polar bears as vulnerable on its Red List of Threatened Species.
How did Stirling know the reason for the death of the polar bear?
A.By the food he ate. | B.By doing further experiments. |
C.By observing other polar bears. | D.By his lying position in death. |
The underlined word "vulnerable" probably means _____.
A.easily hurt | B.difficult to hunt |
C.dangerous | D.amazing |
What is the author's attitude to the incident?
A.Favorable. | B.Uncaring. |
C.Doubtful. | D.Concerned. |
Where does this text probably come from?
A.A novel. | B.A guidebook. |
C.A news report. | D.An advertisement. |