Polar Bears Thrived in Siberian and Canadian Refugia During Last Global Warming

Fossil records indicate that polar bears survived the last global warming deglaciation in Siberian and Canadian refugia. The research, based on fossil bones and teeth, suggests that polar bears existed on the southwestern margin of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet during the Late Glacial and into the earliest Holocene. The study also reveals that polar bears sought out cold refugia in East Siberia, northern Greenland, and the Canadian Archipelago during the warmest period of the Holocene. As climate change threatens their habitat, protecting these refugia becomes crucial for the survival of polar bears.