Since 2011, the International Polar Bear Day has been held annually on 27 February to draw attention to the polar bear's habitat. Without the ice in the sea, polar bears cannot survive, but their habitat is in danger. #dagvandeijsbeer This day is organized by “Polar Bears International” to raise awareness of the impact global warming and sea ice has on polar bears. It follows that attention is being sought to find ways that could reduce CO2 emissions.

Zoos use this day to inform the visitor about the conservation of polar bear populations.

RECORD-BREAKING TEMPERATURES ON ANTARCTICA LEAD TO MASSIVE MELT

Recently, the thermometers ticked on the northern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula 18.3 degrees Celsius. And that is unparalleled.

At the beginning of this month, Antarctica had to contend with extremely high temperatures. The mercury even rose to 18.3 degrees Celsius in some places. By comparison, in Los Angeles it was just as hot that day. An unprecedented event, because it has never been so hot in Antarctica. And this heat led to an enormous amount of ice melting away on nearby glaciers.

Melt
On February 5, the temperature in Antarctica rose and continued until February 13. The image below, made by Operational Land Imager (OLI), confirmed on the satellite Landsat 8, shows how much snow has faded away on the island of Eagle Island — one of the many islands on the continent of Antarctica — during this period. On February 6, most of the snow melted on Eagle Island; about 30 millimeters. A total of 106 millimeters of snow disappeared on the island between 6 and 11 February. In addition, on Eagle Island, about 20 percent of the amount of snow accumulated over the season melted.

International Day of the Polar Bear