Pussy bears point to a troubling future for the Arctic

Dickie adds that these two animals, which have never really encountered each other, are now forced to live closer together. This can lead to conflicts between species, but it is also a signal that the Arctic is no longer what it used to be.

The scenario described could be very bad news for the already suffering polar bear population on the planet. Some scientists fear that hybridisation could continue to such an extent that one day polar bears will be incorporated into the general population of grizzlies, leading to the extinction of the latter.