# How would polar bears fare in the antarctic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770 "2011-07-04T01:16:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/21 "2011-07-04T13:17:51Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > There have been releases of penguins in the Northern Hemisphere, sometimes by the crews of fishing vessels, sometimes by legitimate (if probably misguided) biologists. I can’t say if any were eaten by polar bears. > > [Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) in the Northern Hemisphere](http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1676/05-130.1) > [Stray Penguins Probably Reached Northern Waters By Fishing Boat | ScienceDaily](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070605185637.htm) Fascinating! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/22 "2011-07-04T13:29:27Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I suppose you could introduce sterilized polar bears, just to see what happens. It’ll end badly because life…will…err…find a way ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/23 "2011-07-04T13:44:39Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > That would make them bi-polar bears, requiring therapy and being shot with darts filled with lithium. Wasn’t Bi-polar Bear a super hero on “The Tick”? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/24 "2011-07-04T13:51:23Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Wasn’t Bi-polar Bear a super hero on “The Tick”? “This is a job for Bi-Polar Bear!!! if i could only get out of bed.” ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/25 "2011-07-05T01:57:22Z")
Q: What’s a polar bear? A: A rectangular bear after a coordinate transform. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/26 "2011-07-05T13:43:49Z")
I wonder if a) the Antarctic winter is too rough for a Polar Bear, and b) there is enough habitable coast to keep up a population. From a bear’s point of view, the Arctic is basically all coast, straight through the pole, but Antarctica is mostly barren, uninhabitable (by pretty much anything) ice on top of rock, far from an ocean. In the short term, though, I imagine the penguin population would be devestated. I wouldn’t worry about a penguin at sea – bears can swim, but they’re not really good at catching things in the water, especially compared to a leopard seal-- but on land they seem like walking, or waddling, bear snacks. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/27 "2011-07-05T13:58:30Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Indeed they do. Leopard seals, in fact, are the principal predator of the penguin. Plus, if the bears don’t know how to catch the penguins, the seals would be more than willing to teach them. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/28 "2011-07-05T14:08:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > As a side note, the use of sled dogs has been banned in Antarctica because of the havoc a feral population would inflict on bird colonies. Banned by whom? Not all of Antarctica is claimed by a country, and those claims which exist aren’t universally recognized. There are some international treaties concerning Antarctica, but again, not all countries are signatories. I’m not aware of any police or military force on Antarctica that would be in a position to enforce such a ban. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/29 "2011-07-05T14:17:56Z")
I initially read the thread title as "How would polar bears _fart_ in the antarctic? Hmm…is it so cold that the farts would drop to the ice making little clinking sounds? And would this limit the effect on global warming? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/30 "2011-07-05T14:19:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I initially read the thread title as "How would polar bears _fart_ in the antarctic? > > Hmm…is it so cold that the farts would drop to the ice making little clinking sounds? And would this limit the effect on global warming? I don’t think it would freeze, but the wind would come out counterclockwise. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/31 "2011-07-05T15:41:09Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I’m not aware of any police or military force on Antarctica that would be in a position to enforce such a ban. They’ve resisted creating one, out of concern that it might turn feral and attack the bird population. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/32 "2011-07-05T15:51:33Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > They’ve resisted creating one, out of concern that it might turn feral and attack the bird population. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/33 "2011-07-05T17:22:01Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Banned by whom? Not all of Antarctica is claimed by a country, and those claims which exist aren’t universally recognized. There are some international treaties concerning Antarctica, but again, not all countries are signatories. I’m not aware of any police or military force on Antarctica that would be in a position to enforce such a ban. They are banned according to the [Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty](http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_antarctica/geopolitical/treaty/update_1991.php) (1991). > [@](#): > > Article 4 > > 2 Dogs shall not be introduced onto land or ice shelves and dogs currently in those areas shall be removed by April 1, 1994. Actually, the primary reason was to [prevent canine distemper from infecting the seal populations](http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/cold-science/life-work/2001-03-19-sled-dogs.htm), although concerns about their impacts on other wildlife no doubt played a part. [Forty-six countries](http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_antarctica/geopolitical/treaty/index.php) (not just those with territorial claims) are signatories to the Antarctic treaties (although I am not certainly that every one is a party to the Environmental Protocol). While there is probably no formal mechanism to enforce the ban, most countries with any capability to establish a base in Antarctica are signatories and could enforce the ban on their own nationals. Any country that was not a signatory would no doubt be subjected to international pressure not to violate the ban. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/34 "2011-07-05T17:25:04Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I wonder if a) the Antarctic winter is too rough for a Polar Bear, and b) there is enough habitable coast to keep up a population. From a bear’s point of view, the Arctic is basically all coast, straight through the pole, but Antarctica is mostly barren, uninhabitable (by pretty much anything) ice on top of rock, far from an ocean. There’s probably enough land on the Antarctic Peninsula to support a significant bear population, at least until they had wiped out the bird colonies. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/35 "2011-07-05T17:56:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No, that just means that _all_ of the dogs you saw at the base were Things. Huh. That’s actually a really, really grim view of the movie - what if the crashed spaceship was just a fluke, and the Thing had actually been assimilating humanity for years before the events of the film, with no one the wiser? Perhaps the characters in the movie aren’t the _first_ humans to fight it, but very nearly the last. They can’t save the world, because unbeknownst to them, the world is already long since lost. Nothing at all they do can mitigate the horror even the slightest bit. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/36 "2011-07-05T18:10:44Z")
[As long as the bears wear a little mask the penguins will be none the wiser.](http://stevelundeberg.mvourtown.com/files/2010/07/penguins_polar_bear1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/37 "2011-07-05T20:14:58Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > > > I suppose you could introduce sterilized polar bears, just to see what happens. > > It’ll end badly because life…will…err…find a way One problem would be the bacteria in the polar bears’ guts, which are not native to the area. Bears die, bodies rot, can the bacteria survive? And what would they do to the local penguin, seal, and fish populations? > [@Askance](#): > > Q: What’s a polar bear? > A: A rectangular bear after a coordinate transform. Works better if you call it an X-Y bear, instead of rectangular. 😃 I LOLed, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/38 "2011-07-06T02:25:15Z")
are people implying that the great auk extinction never happened? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/39 "2011-07-06T03:30:52Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > are people implying that the great auk extinction never happened? What did you draw that conclusion from? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770/40 "2011-07-06T03:49:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Wasn’t Bi-polar Bear a super hero on “The Tick”? > **[Queer Duck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_Duck)** > > Queer Duck is an American animated web series produced by Icebox Animation (alongside Mondo Media) that originally appeared on the company's website, then later moved to the American cable network Showtime, where it aired following the American version of Queer as Folk. Although far from featuring the first gay cartoon character, Queer Duck was among the first animated series to have homosexuality as its predominant theme. > Like several later television cartoons, Queer Duck was animated in Macr... > [@](#): > > Bi-Polar Bear (voiced by Ren & Stimpy and Futurama actor Billy West, in the style of Paul Lynde) is one of Queer Duck’s friends. He often makes bad jokes that he alone finds funny. This character is not to be confused with a character called Bi-Polar Bear from The Tick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-polar-bears-fare-in-the-antarctic/587770.md?page=3)