内容摘要：A sign alerts drivers to potential polar bears, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

A sign alerts drivers to potential polar bears, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

There are now about 600 polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay, one of the most threatened of the 20 populations of the white beasts. That’s about half the number of 40 years ago, says York, senior director of research and policy at Polar Bears International. His latest study, with a team of scientists from various fields, shows that if the world doesn’t cut back more on emissions of heat-trapping gases “we could lose this population entirely by the end of the century,” he says.Water from the Churchill River, left, drains into the Hudson Bay, top right, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Churchill, Canada. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Water from the Churchill River, left, drains into the Hudson Bay, top right, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Churchill, Canada. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)Geoff York, left, director of research at Polar Bears International, and Kieran McIver, right, manager of field operations, look for polar bears along the shoreline of the Hudson Bay, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, near Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)Geoff York, left, director of research at Polar Bears International, and Kieran McIver, right, manager of field operations, look for polar bears along the shoreline of the Hudson Bay, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, near Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

More than polar bears are threatened in this changing gateway to the Arctic, where warmer waters melt sea ice earlier in the year and the open ocean lingers longer. For what grows, lives and especially eats in this region, it’s like a house’s foundation shifting. “The whole marine ecosystem is tied to the seasonality of that sea ice cover,” University of Manitoba sea ice scientist Julienne Stroeve said.When the sea ice melts earlier it warms the overall water temperature and it changes algae that blooms, which changes the plankton that feed on the algae, which changes the fish, all the way up the food web to beluga whales, seals and polar bears, scientists say.

“What we’re seeing is a transformation of an Arctic ecosystem into more of a southern open ocean,” York says in August from the bobbing up-and-down edge of a 12-foot Zodiac boat. “We’re seeing a transformation from high-fat plankton that leads to things like beluga whales and polar bears to low-fat plankton that end up with the final part of the food chain being jellyfish.”

A polar bear cub walks along rocks toward its mother, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, near Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)“I’m really happy to have my future sorted and I can now put my full focus into performing well for the Brumbies and hopefully the Wallabies later this year,” Ikitau said. “To know (I’ll) be coming back home to Canberra and the Brumbies is very reassuring, especially with the home Rugby World Cup not far away.”

SYDNEY (AP) — United States Olympic rugby star Alev Kelter will face a judicial hearing and potentially lengthy suspension after being sent off in a women’s rugby test against Australia on Saturday for stamping on the head of an opponent.Kelter received a straight red card in the 79th minute of the Pacific Four Series test against Australia after referee Aimee Barrett-Theron reviewed footage that showed Kelter stamping forcefully on the head of Australian center Georgie Friedrichs.

In comments captured by television microphones, Barrett-Theron said “12 blue (Kelter) is going to receive a permanent red card because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play.“She’s clearly stamped on the head of the Australian player. That’s reckless, that’s dangerous and she’s going off.”