Entry 4: 3/7/08

I can conclude that global warming has a devastating impact on the North and South Poles, where its effect is greatest. Over the past three entries, I found out that the rising temperatures has caused many problems for the wildlife. The polar bears, penguin species and cetaceans are only a minority of the vast wildlife in these two environments. They are all affected by the decrease in sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic. The sea ice affects many animals directly or indirectly. In the case of the polar bears, the bears need the sea ice as a "base" to hunt seals and other prey. They also need the sea ice as a surface for them to rest, breed, raise their cubs and live in. The declining sea ice has caused the deaths of polar bears as some of them tire out from swimming vast distances to find sea ice to rest on and drown. Unlike dolphins or whales, they cannot stay in the water for long periods of time. In the case of the penguins, because of the decline of sea ice, krill, the source of food for some species of dolphins, has declined considerably. With the lesser numbers in krill, the population of some species of penguins has also decreased.

Also, the decline of sea ice has decreased the land which the penguins can breed and raise their young. Also, with warmer winter temperatures, sea ice breaks off often, and penguin chicks are often stranded and die.

Also, the decline of sea ice has led to the cetaceans, whales, dolphins and porpoises to decline as well. This is because krill numbers have decreased, and thus there is lesser food for some species of whale or dolphin, which mostly depend on the krill for food. Also, warmer temperatures might kill some species of whale, as some whale species cannot survive in warmer water.

This is the one result of the sea ice declining. Many species of animals are affected, causing a chain of events which end up in the whole ecosystem of the North and south Poles being affected as a result. I feel that we humans are responsible for much of the decline of sea ice. Over the centuries, because of our constant burning of fossil fuels and the production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, we have led the world temperature to skyrocket until in the 21st century, which we start to take action and cut down on the emission of greenhouse gases. However, it is not to late to act now. However, if we do not continue to do nothing, the North and South Poles will melt into nothing, and many species of wildlfe would have been extinct. Do we want this to be the world which our children grow up in?