GLAND, SWITZERLAND — Polar bear numbers could drop by a third over the next 35 years because of global warming. <br /> <br />The warning comes in a study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), phys.org reported. <br /> <br />The global polar bear population is estimated to stand at 26,000. The study suggests there is a 70 percent chance that figure will drop 30 percent by 2050. <br /> <br />Melting sea ice caused by global warming is the main threat to the survival of polar bears. Polar bears depend on sea ice as a floating platform to hunt seals, which can outswim them in the water. <br /> <br />The presence of manmade chemicals in the food chain is another major threat to polar bear numbers. <br /> <br />The IUCN monitors endangered species on its Red List. The organisation classifies polar bears as “vulnerable,” meaning the species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
