A stark image captures a polar bear mother and her three cubs resting on bare ground and moss, their fur matted with mud-a poignant reminder of a changing Arctic. this photograph is among 24 shortlisted for the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award, where the public decides the winner.

A Changing Arctic: Polar Bears Face New Challenges

The image highlights the increasing struggle for polar bears as their icy habitat diminishes due to global warming.

A polar bear mother and her three cubs rest on the Hudson Bay coast in Canada. Photographer Christopher Paetkau captured the scene as the family traveled north toward the Arctic, pausing to nap in the summer heat.
  • Photographer Christopher Paetkau captured the image along the Hudson Bay coast in Canada.
  • The photograph underscores the impact of global warming on polar bear habitats.
  • Public voting for the Nuveen People’s Choice Award is open until March 18.
  • The winning image will be displayed at the Natural History Museum in london.

Photographer christopher Paetkau captured the scene along the hudson Bay coast in Canada as the family traveled north toward the Arctic. The mother and one cub were asleep, while the other two cubs kept watch, resting their heads on their mother’s back. The image serves as a powerful visual representation of the challenges polar bears face as their environment transforms.

What impact does global warming have on polar bears? Global warming is shrinking the sea ice habitat that polar bears depend on for hunting, forcing them to seek alternative food sources on land. Unlike other bear species, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) do not hibernate. Historically, they spent the entire year on the ice, preying on ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus). However, with the decline of sea ice, they are increasingly compelled to hunt land-based prey, such as reindeer, according to research.

Did you know? Polar bears are uniquely adapted to life in the Arctic, but their survival is increasingly threatened by climate change.

Another photograph featuring a polar bear is also in contention for the People’s Choice Award. This image depicts a cub during a hunting trip on the norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, wich tragically ended when the cub and its mother approached a human settlement. The mother bear was found dead, and authorities subsequently shot the cub due to its aggressive behavior.

Voting for the Nuveen People’s Choice Award is currently open online until March 18, allowing anyone to participate in selecting the winning image. The winning photograph, along with four runners-up, will be announced on March 25.

“Whether showcasing fascinating behavior or platforming a powerful story, this year’s selection of images is truly remarkable, and we can’t wait to see which one will be chosen as the public’s favorite,” said Douglas Gurr, the director of the Natural History Museum, in a statement.

The winning image will be showcased alongside 100 other photographs from last year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in an exhibition at the museum, which will remain open until July 2026. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the natural History Museum.

You can view the shortlisted images here.