Scientists have discovered genetic changes in polar bears that could help them cope with rising temperatures, offering rare evidence that climate change is influencing DNA in a wild mammal species.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia analysed blood samples from polar bears in northern and south-east Greenland and found clear genetic differences linked to local climate conditions. Bears in the warmer south-east showed increased activity in so-called “jumping genes” – mobile DNA elements that can alter how other genes function.
These changes affect genes linked to heat stress, ageing and metabolism, suggesting the bears may be adjusting to warmer environments and shifting food sources. Southern Greenland bears experience more variable temperatures and less sea ice, and their diet includes more plant-based material compared with the seal-rich diet of bears farther north.
Lead researcher Dr Alice Godden said the findings provide the first statistically significant link between rising temperatures and DNA changes in a wild mammal, describing the genetic shifts as a potential survival response to melting sea ice.
While the results offer some hope for polar bears facing climate breakdown, the researchers stressed that genetic adaptation alone will not be enough. With up to two-thirds of polar bears predicted to disappear by 2050, they warned that cutting global carbon emissions remains essential to prevent extinction.
