These unusual looking bears, which are a mixture of polar bear and grizzly bear, have been popping up around the Canadian Arctic since the first reported shooting in 2006, the occurrence of this hybrid in nature was confirmed by testing the DNA of a unique-looking bear.
source: sciencenordic/image: oschu1000
Climate change is in part responsible for the emergence of these grolar hybrids, as polar bears that live and hunt on the ever-shrinking Arctic sea ice are forced on land during mating season in spring and summer.
At the same time, male grizzly bears are expanding their habitats, roaming into polar bear territories, and emerging from hibernation earlier in the year.
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The result is Grolar bears. These are hybrids, whose name is an art form of the two common names of bear species. These should be sterile according to textbooks.
