Gator Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 IQALUIT, Nunavut - Northern hunters, scientists and people with vivid imaginations have discussed the possibility for years. But Roger Kuptana, a guide from Canada’s Sachs Harbor was the first to suspect it had actually happened when he proposed that a strange-looking bear shot last month by an American sports hunter might be half polar bear, half grizzly. Officials seized the creature after noticing its white fur was scattered with brown patches and that it had the long claws and humped back of a grizzly. Now a DNA test has confirmed that it is indeed a hybrid — possibly the first documented in the wild. "We've known it's possible, but actually most of us never thought it would happen," said Ian Stirling, a polar bear biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Edmonton. Polar bears and grizzlies have been successfully paired in zoos before — Stirling could not speculate why — and their offspring are fertile. Breeding seasons for the two species overlap, though polar bear gets started slightly earlier. Polar bear and grizzly territory also overlap in the Western Arctic around the Beaufort Sea, where the occasional grizzly is known to head onto the sea ice looking for food after emerging from hibernation. Grizzlies hunting seals? Some grizzly bears make it over the ice all the way to Banks Island and Victoria Island, where they have been spotted and shot before. These bears will scavenge seals left over by polar bears. "And some hunters have told me that they think sometimes the grizzly bears actually hunt seals, which I'm quite sure they could do," Stirling said. That might explain how a grizzly got to the region, but few can explain how it managed to get along with a polar bear mate long enough to produce offspring. Colin Adjun, a wildlife officer in Nunavut, said he's heard stories before about an oddly colored bear cavorting with polar bears. "It was a light chocolate color along with a couple of polar bears," Adjun said. And though people have talked about the possibility of a mix, "it hasn't happened in our area," he said. While the latest find is a surprise, it is not necessarily another sign of climate change, said John England, a geologist who was with the team that spotted the earlier grizzly. "If we want evidence for climate change, we don't have to go to an isolated occurrence of a grizzly bear somewhere," said England, who holds a northern research chair on environmental change in the Arctic. "The satellite imagery showing sea ice reduction over the last 30 years is proof positive of very dramatic changes in the northern hemisphere." No fine for hunter The DNA results were good news for Martell, who had paid $50,000 for guides and a permit to hunt polar bear. Before the tests came back, the 65-year-old hunter was facing the possibility of a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail for shooting a bear for which he had no permit — as well as the disappointment of an expensive hunting trip with no trophy. The local natural resources department now plans to return the bear to the hunter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MossySNPR Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Thats pretty cool. So whats it going to be guys? Golar bear or Prizzly bear?? No no wait, "Gri-polar"! By the sounds of it, we might as well just call it the Mounted half polar bear half grizzly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Here is the article>>> http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12738644/?GT1=8199 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found That is pretty cool. Polar-Griz sounds like a good name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Thats cool! Ive honestly never considered the possiblity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007hunter Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found $50,000!!! You better be rolling in some major $$$ if you want to hunt a polar bear....sheesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found It's an accidental hybrid not a new breed. If we name it, some idiot group will petition it be declared endangered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterDWL Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found i would like to have seen it in person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found i'd have to agree that it's an endangered species... in fact, i think it's extinct. good thing he shot the last one before they were all gone... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doughboy1956 Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Who would have tonked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found That is pretty cool. Have often wondered which of the two would win in a confrontation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowtechTurkeyHunter Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found [ QUOTE ] i'd have to agree that it's an endangered species... in fact, i think it's extinct. good thing he shot the last one before they were all gone... lol [/ QUOTE ] ROFL now he can preserve its heritage forever and ever ROFL Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutter Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found White Grizz. Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge4x4 Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found LMBO! that is great steve. . .that is hilarious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whttlbucksteve Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Thats cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowJoe Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found [ QUOTE ] That is pretty cool. Have often wondered which of the two would win in a confrontation. [/ QUOTE ] Now we know they fight dirty at first and then get a long just fine thank you. LMAO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest losthunter Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found [ QUOTE ] $50,000!!! You better be rolling in some major $$$ if you want to hunt a polar bear....sheesh [/ QUOTE ] Same thought here. For that price I would by myself a new truck and stick to road kills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found I like Grizlar. Reminds me of Christmas Vacation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggs Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found [ QUOTE ] That is pretty cool. Have often wondered which of the two would win in a confrontation. [/ QUOTE ] well, the two that made this guy most have got along pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found Just heard about that yesterday. Pretty wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Re: Half Grizzly, Half polar bear found You know what? I don't know how to say it in Grizzly speak but roughly translated, I bet this bear's origin started with a grizzly that got into some camper's PBR. I can just see him saying "Hey guys....see how that white chick is looking at me....Y'all watch THIS!" I am guessing that it originated with an extra long winter and an extra long hibernation for that ice queen! New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.