Using this graphic and referring to it is encouraged, and please use it in presentations, web pages, newspapers, blogs and reports.
For any form of publication, please include the link to this page and give the cartographer/designer credit (in this case Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal)
IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group. 2009. http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/meetings/press-releases/15-Copenhagen.html [Accessed 1 February 2010].
Uploaded on Tuesday 21 Feb 2012
Distribution and current trend of polar bear subpopulations throughout the circumpolar Arctic
Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Polar bears occur in 19 relatively discrete subpopulations with an estimated worldwide abundance of 20,000– 25,000 animals. Our knowledge of the status and trend of each subpopulation varies due to availability, reliability, and age of data. Furthermore, for many subpopulations, there is limited or no data collected over a sufficient period of time to examine trends. Based on a 2009 review of the worldwide status of polar bears, one of 19 subpopulations appears to be increasing, three are stable, and eight are declining. For the remaining seven subpopulations, there is insufficient or no data to provide an assessment of status. In particular, there is a lack of data for the Russian subpopulations.