A Storm of Snow Crabs? Barentz Sea.

[JimD]

Warming arctic and Antarctic waters will allow the spread of invasive marine species.  Here is an article on the near term prospect that snow crabs will reach the Svalbard Islands and do serious damage to the fragile ecosystems there.  There are probably other species migrating into the cold regions out there as well.  I have read of Grizzly bears mating with Polar bears but since they are related species I am not sure that that counts.

http://barentsobserver.com/en/nature/2013/06/storm-snow-crabs-24-06

Of interesting note there was a study in 2011 on King crabs invading Antarctica.  A brand new study has showed that was incorrect and that populations of King crabs have been established there for millennia. 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=are-king-crab-invading-antarctic-sea

[John Batteen]

With regard to the grizzly and polar bear hybrids, they've been dubbed by some as grolar bears.  Second generation hybrids have been found that are 3/4 of one and 1/4 of the other.  Pretty neat stuff.  Purebred polar bears may well go extinct, but their genetic legacy will live on.

[JimD]

John I have the same reaction to this that you do.  Pretty cool as it is a natural adaptation.

But, sadly, I seem to remember reading that the policy reaction of the Canadian wildlife personnel is to shoot these hybrids as soon as they are identified (though when I just Googled it I could not find a reference). It seems that they are much for ferocious and aggressive than either grizzly or polar bears and are deemed too dangerous.   Hopefully that is not correct.  Best let nature alone.

[Bruce Steele]

JimD, Re. Snow crabs. The north Atlantic and Atlantic influenced waters of the Arctic Ocean will reach undersaturation later than the Arctic ocean or the north Pacific. From the snow crabs perspective a move into the North Atlantic might be a good move.

[Vergent]

They should make open season on the snow crabs until the price drops to $1.00/lb.



Vergent