El Podcast

E30: Why Polar Bears Are Thriving—Despite the Climate Narrative

Episode Summary

Dr. Susan Crockford, an evolutionary biologist, argues that polar bears are not on the brink of extinction—in fact, their populations have increased significantly since the 1970s. She explains how flawed science, funding incentives, and media narratives have exaggerated the climate threat to polar bears while ignoring their resilience and adaptability.

Episode Notes

Dr. Susan Crockford, evolutionary biologist and author of The Polar Bear Catastrophe That Never Happened, challenges the mainstream climate narrative by arguing that polar bear populations are thriving, not declining.

Guest Bio: Dr. Susan Crockford is an evolutionary biologist and forensic zoologist with over 40 years of research experience. She is known for her work on polar bear evolution, archaeological zoology, and the domestication of dogs. Crockford is the author of The Polar Bear Catastrophe That Never Happened and runs the blog PolarBearScience.com.

Topics Discussed:

• The rise in polar bear populations since the 1970s
• Flaws in polar bear counting methodology and conservation data
• Conflicts between Arctic communities and increasing bear populations
• Polar bear resilience and adaptation to Arctic conditions
• The influence of funding and politics on wildlife research
• Comparisons between polar bear evolution and dog domestication

Three Best Quotes:

• “All of the reports from studies… indicate the females are in good condition, they're fat as they should be, and there's no indication of large numbers of starving bears around.”
• “Virtually everything we know about polar bears comes from Western Hudson Bay—just 3 to 5% of the total population.”
• “What we’ve seen with polar bears is a window into how false narratives about climate catastrophe get built—and persist.”

📺Watch the entire podcast on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/8VOIM3pXO2Q?si=2KV7TfYvn_bEwhe-