It's getting harder for polar bears to act naturally, even in nature

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It's getting harder for polar bears to act naturally, even in nature By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.05.

1 It's getting harder for polar bears to act naturally, even in nature By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 824 A polar bear swims underwater in an observation tunnel of an exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in Photo: Robin Rombach/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS PITTSBURGH Koda, the 10-year-old male polar bear at the Pittsburgh Zoo, emerges from a cubbyhole atop the exhibit he shares with 14-year-old Kobe. He steps out to a nearby ledge, swinging his head from side to side. He then backs into the cubbyhole, head still weaving, and returns a moment later. He keeps doing the same thing, over and over. Scenes like this play out nationwide. An estimated 85 percent of polar bears in North American zoos engage in repetitive actions that are apparently purposeless. Experts call this stereotypic behavior" and some say that it is the result of being conﬁned. Laurel Braitman, a critic of zoos and the author of Animal Madness, agrees. Braitman calls repetitive behaviors like these a signpost of frustration. But even in nature, it s increasingly harder for bears to act naturally. In the Arctic, polar bears typically roam hundreds or even thousands of miles. But because of global climate change and a warmer Earth, the ice they tread is shrinking.

2 From Massive Environments... According to Donald Moore, a scientist at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, polar bears are losing their natural environment. Moore believes zoos can serve them well. He says that animals in zoos play an important role as representatives for their relatives in the wild, by making people care about them. But some animal rights leaders aren't convinced. I think there s very little question about whether bears suffer in (zoos), said Rob Laidlaw, executive director of Zoocheck Canada. There is a growing body of literature that says animals can be upset just by people looking at them. Laidlaw says polar bears have evolved to live in massive environments that zoos simply cannot replicate. He says polar bears are used to traveling up to 60 miles in a day. Even the most extensive zoo exhibits measure less than an acre. Other experts share Laidlaw's concerns. In 2003, Oxford University researchers argued that the keeping of naturally wide-ranging carnivores should be either fundamentally improved or phased out.... To Life In A Zoo Pittsburgh s zoo didn t have polar bears back then. Because of such worries, an official told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at the time, we won t have them unless we have a suitable exhibit. Three years later, the zoo opened its $12.5 million Water s Edge exhibit, featuring elements that Laidlaw stressed as important to the bears' well-being. For example, the layout includes a separate back area. This design allows the bears to move in and out of public view as they wish. Pittsburgh s bears are also given enrichment activities throughout the day. These include crushing plastic barrels and finding ways to get icy mixtures of fish and lard out of other containers. Joseph Gaspard, the zoo s director of science and conservation, acknowledges that Koda and Kobe both exhibit repetitive behavior at times. But it s hard to get at the heart of what it means, he says. Maybe it's "just kind of a release of energy" like when humans pace, he said. If we could see the complete picture with these guys, he added, we wouldn t be doing animal science. Things could be worse for the polar bears. And in the wild, they probably will be.

3 No Fence For Climate Change Steven C. Amstrup is the chief scientist for environmental group Polar Bears International. Amstrup estimates that polar bear populations could vanish from the wild by Others predict that some bears will survive, but only in remote areas. As of right now, an estimated 20,000 polar bears live in the Arctic. By contrast, according to the environmental group World Wildlife Fund, there are fewer than 4,000 tigers in the wild. But while the threat to polar bears is less immediate, it may be harder to address. The traditional model of conservation is you identify a species under threat because of overhunting or deforestation and then you build a fence around (them) and go home, Amstrup explained. But polar bears face a much different kind of threat. You can t build a fence to protect (bears) from climate change, he said. Polar bears live much of the year on the Arctic ice, where they hunt seals and breed. But as global temperatures warm, it takes longer for the ice to form. This leaves the bears trapped on land, where they survive on their reserves of fat and produce sicklier offspring. As a result, some conservationists support using zoo exhibits to keep polar bears in the public eye. They call the bears charismatic megafauna : big animals people are motivated to help because they can relate to them. Amstrup argues that "the more people who have opportunity to see polar bears and understand their (situation), the more likely we are to alter our warming path in time to save them. Zoos might help raise awareness, but the effects of confinement are still controversial. Many insist that zoos will never provide a suitable home for the bears that have been chosen to represent their species.

4 Quiz 1 Select the paragraph from the section "From Massive Environments..." that explains why zoos are not good environments specifically for polar bears. 2 Each answer option includes two sentences from the article. In which answer option does each sentence include a main idea from the article? An estimated 85 percent of polar bears in North American zoos engage in repetitive actions that are apparently purposeless. In the Arctic, polar bears typically roam hundreds or even thousands of miles. Laurel Braitman, a critic of zoos and the author of Animal Madness, agrees. But even in nature, it s increasingly harder for bears to act naturally. Braitman calls repetitive behaviors like these a signpost of frustration. But because of global climate change and a warmer Earth, the ice they tread is shrinking. Koda, the 10-year-old male polar bear at the Pittsburgh Zoo, emerges from a cubbyhole atop the exhibit he shares with 14-yearold Kobe. He steps out to a nearby ledge, swinging his head from side to side. 3 Which sentence from the section "No Fence For Climate Change" would make the BEST summary of the article as a whole? They call the bears charismatic megafauna : big animals people are motivated to help because they can relate to them. Amstrup argues that "the more people who have opportunity to see polar bears and understand their (situation), the more likely we are to alter our warming path in time to save them. Zoos might help raise awareness, but the effects of confinement are still controversial. Many insist that zoos will never provide a suitable home for the bears that have been chosen to represent their species. 4 Which section of the article describes two different ways zoos can improve their polar bear habitats? the introduction [paragraphs 1-4] "No Fence For Climate Change" "... To Life In A Zoo" "From Massive Environments..."

5 Answer Key 1 Select the paragraph from the section "From Massive Environments..." that explains why zoos are not good environments specifically for polar bears. Paragraph 6: Laidlaw says polar bears have evolved to live in massive environments that zoos simply cannot replicate. He says polar bears are used to traveling up to 60 miles in a day. Even the most extensive zoo exhibits measure less than an acre. 2 Each answer option includes two sentences from the article. In which answer option does each sentence include a main idea from the article? An estimated 85 percent of polar bears in North American zoos engage in repetitive actions that are apparently purposeless. In the Arctic, polar bears typically roam hundreds or even thousands of miles. Laurel Braitman, a critic of zoos and the author of Animal Madness, agrees. But even in nature, it s increasingly harder for bears to act naturally. Braitman calls repetitive behaviors like these a signpost of frustration. But because of global climate change and a warmer Earth, the ice they tread is shrinking. Koda, the 10-year-old male polar bear at the Pittsburgh Zoo, emerges from a cubbyhole atop the exhibit he shares with 14-yearold Kobe. He steps out to a nearby ledge, swinging his head from side to side. 3 Which sentence from the section "No Fence For Climate Change" would make the BEST summary of the article as a whole? They call the bears charismatic megafauna : big animals people are motivated to help because they can relate to them. Amstrup argues that "the more people who have opportunity to see polar bears and understand their (situation), the more likely we are to alter our warming path in time to save them. Zoos might help raise awareness, but the effects of confinement are still controversial. Many insist that zoos will never provide a suitable home for the bears that have been chosen to represent their species.

6 4 Which section of the article describes two different ways zoos can improve their polar bear habitats? the introduction [paragraphs 1-4] "No Fence For Climate Change" "... To Life In A Zoo" "From Massive Environments..."

Identify the text structure of the following passages. Underline signal words and clues that helped you determine each structure.

Text Structure Practice Identify the text structure of the following passages. Underline signal words and clues that helped you determine each structure. 1. Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing. Some