Drones Are Keeping Watch on the Arctic's Polar Bear Population

That's the spot! Thanks to drone technology, this polar bear was spotted getting cozy. (Credit: Intel Corporation) Polar bears' fortunes are deeply tied to the whims of a changing climate, and as the Arctic continues to warm it's increasingly important to keep an eye on their populations. But the Arctic’s stark white terrain can make that a difficult task to accomplish. In the past, helicopters have been used to spot the bears, but those aircraft are both costly and disturbing to the wildlife. However, drones are a low-cost, less invasive alternative. On a recent Arctic mission, drones helped gather data about polar bears that will help researchers get a better idea of how climate change in the region, and around the world, affects wildlife. The biggest threat to the Arctic polar bear population is loss of sea ice due to climate change. Wildlife photographer and conservationist Ole Jørgen Liodden likens polar bears to the canaries miners relied on to alarm them of harmful gases. “If [polar bears] are struggling, we will be the next ones struggling because the climate change will affect all of us,” he said in a video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=59&v=n499rZ4GXDk