An emaciated polar bear. (Photo: CGTN)

Wildlife in the Arctic are under great threats from climate change, which include rising temperatures, disappearing sea ice and decreasing snow coverage on land.

The polar bear is an iconic species in the Arctic. As it usually appears fluffy, the public was shocked when in 2015 a photo showed an emaciated polar bear foraging with injured legs.

Experts indicate that because of climate change, sea ice in the Arctic is melting quickly, which causes great threats to polar bears that hunt for seals on drifting ice. In December 2019, more than 50 polar bears broke into a town in far east Russia for food, revealing the dire situation that polar bears are now forced to share land with humans due to food shortage.

Besides polar bears, reindeer in the Arctic are also affected by climate change as population has been declining for years.