2006-12-12 05:04:52 · 5 answers · asked by skillobskilled 1 in Environment
Probably not. The ice cap in the North is relatively thin compared to the South. This allows for ice floes to break free and move around the Arctic Ocean. This means that seals (the main food source of polar bears) can swim around the ocean and come up for air in various spots rather then just along the edges of the ice pack.
The ice pack at the South Pole is thousands of feet thick. This would limit polar bears to hunting for prey along the edges of the continent. I believe polar bears are singular animals -- they don't travel in large groups (except for Mom & Cubs). Also, who knows what effect polar bears would have on the penguin populations? (Penguins are a favorite treat of various whale species. Moving another predator into that food chain would effect whale populations.) So I guess the answer is that polar bears may adapt and survive, but at the expense of another species.
2006-12-12 09:18:13 · answer #1 · answered by rockgeek56 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, the weather's pretty much the same at both Poles but the wildlife is different. Maybe polar bears could adapt--learn to eat penguins or something--or maybe they'd just starve. There's only one way to find out, and it's really not worth the trouble.
2006-12-12 05:11:10 · answer #2 · answered by Amy F 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe. However, if they were successful, they would likely wreak havoc on the penguins and seals who are not equipped to deal with a large land-and-water predator.
Antarctica is havng enoung trouble with its native ecology already without throwing something like a polar bear ito the mix.
2006-12-12 05:09:57 · answer #3 · answered by Jerry P 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
not unless you took their food source with them
2006-12-12 05:07:35 · answer #4 · answered by shadouse 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think they'd be dyslexic.
2006-12-12 09:08:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋