Fino agli anni Settanta venivano uccisi al ritmo di centinaia l'anno. Oggi la caccia all'orso polare è vietata sulle isole Svalbard, dove i plantigradi artici sono ancora più numerosi rispetto agli uomini. Circa 3 mila esemplari. Gli abitanti di Longyearbyen, la città più grande, si fermano a quota 2300.
Uno dei 3000 orsi polari sopravvissuti alle Svalbard
Il nuovo nemico, per loro, si chiama cambiamento climatico, un nemico che non risparmia neppure uccelli, pesci, volpi e renne. Pochi giorni fa il ritrovamento chock di circa 200 renne morte per fame alle Svalbard.
Gli orsi polari sono minacciati dalla fusione dei ghiacci. Oggi sono meno di 30 mila al mondo. Ma vari studi, diffusi dal WWF, prevedono la scomparsa di un terzo degli esemplari entro il 2055.
Orsi e renne minacciati dal clima alle Svalbard
A Longyearbyen ha una sede il Norwegian Polar Institute, diretto dal professor Kim Holmen, che sta studiando gli effetti del cambio climatico sulla salute di orsi e renne. Ma alla Svalbard anche l'arte parla di clima e di fauna. Stein Henningsen è un artista performer della rete Arctic Action ed è cresciuto nell'arcipelago. Anche le sue opere parlano di fauna a rischio. Scienza e arte. Uomini e orsi. Un destino comune.
Gilberto Mastromatteo - Paolo Martino
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