Polar Bears ‘Healthier’ Despite Melting Arctic IcePolar bears in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago are healthier now than they were two decades ago, scientists say. According to new research published in Scientific Reports, polar bears appear to be thriving despite a sharp decline in sea ice. We see the opposite.”Experts say the findings challenge the usual image of polar bears as a climate warning. This [research] adds to the variability story.”Scientists believe the Svalbard bears are finding food on land, eating reindeer or scavenging walrus, as well as hunting seals. While climate change remains the biggest threat to polar bears, the study shows that polar bears’ survival is more flexible and complicated than previously thought.