'Pizzly' Bears spreading across the Arctic

[Occams Barber]

LIVESCIENCE
'Pizzly' bear hybrids are spreading across the Arctic thanks to climate change

Endangered polar bears are breeding with grizzly bears, creating hybrid “pizzly” bears, and it's being driven by climate change, scientists say.

As the world warms and Arctic sea ice thins, starving polar bears are being driven ever further south, where they meet grizzlies, whose ranges are expanding northwards. And with that growing contact between the two species comes more mating, and therefore increased sightings of their hybrid offspring.

With features that could give them an edge in warming northern habitats, some scientists speculate that the pizzlies, or "grolars", could be here to stay...

Grizzly bears and polar bears only diverged 500,000 to 600,000 years ago, so the two species can mate and produce viable offspring. Observations made in captivity and a study conducted in the wild also suggest that the hybrids are fertile and have themselves produced young.

Wild sightings of hybrid pizzly bears began in 2006, when a hunter shot what he thought was a polar bear in the Northwest Territories of the Canadian Arctic.

When he took a closer look he found an altogether more unusual animal: A bear with the cream-white fur of a polar bear but the long claws, humped back, shallow face and brown patches of a grizzly. DNA tests confirmed that the animal was a hybrid — the first documented wild offspring of a polar bear and a grizzly bear.

More...
'Pizzly' bear hybrids are spreading across the Arctic thanks to climate change | Live Science

OB

 

[Tanj]

Grizzly bears and polar bears only diverged 500,000 to 600,000 years ago, so the two species can mate and produce viable offspring.

... then they're not two species, they're one.

 

[Occams Barber]

... then they're not two species, they're one.

Good point. The 'species' quote is taken directly from the article. After seeing your post I went looking for something definitive to confirm (or not) that the bears are the same species. So far nothing definitive. Based on the vague comments I've seen they seem to sit in that in-between continuum where species boundaries aren't clearly defined.

One term I saw used was "sister species"- whatever that means.

OB

 

[Tanj]

Good point. The 'species' quote is taken directly from the article. After seeing your post I went looking for something definitive to confirm (or not) that the bears are the same species. So far nothing definitive. Based on the vague comments I've seen they seem to sit in that in-between continuum where species boundaries aren't clearly defined.

One term I saw used was "sister species"- whatever that means.

OB

Most taxonomy is an arbitrary possibly meaningless attempt by humans to compartmentalize a jungle where we can only really access the leaves at tree top. However, I'd argue species is quite well defined as the ability to breed and produce viable offspring.

If these were humans we'd be using the term races.

 

[Sabertooth]

Most taxonomy is an arbitrary possibly meaningless attempt by humans to compartmentalize a jungle where we can only really access the leaves at tree top.

That is true for "old school" taxonomy (that I studied when younger). Morphological taxonomy is being discarded in favor of genetic [DNA-based] taxonomy. I know some of the feral cats have had their family boundaries redefined. They now believe, for instance, that the cougar [Puma concolor] has more in common with the cheetah [Acinonyx jubatus] than once thought.

 

[Tanj]

That is true for "old school" taxonomy (that I studied when younger). Morphological taxonomy is being discarded in favor of genetic [DNA-based] taxonomy. I know some of the feral cats have had their family boundaries redefined. They now believe, for instance, that the cougar [Puma concolor] has more in common with the cheetah [Acinonyx jubatus] than once thought.

Sure, genetic similarity is more accurate than morphology, but decisions around taxanomic boundaries are still pretty arbitrary, and really only serve academic interest.

DNA Demands Chimps Be Grouped In The Human Genus, Say Wayne State Researchers.

http://www.pontecorboli.com/digital...ail&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-5e2fd2a973-44271497

 

[Oneiric1975]

I think the saddest part of this story is the name "Pizzly". Now here's two top-level predators, masters of their domains, mighty and strong. When they get together, put on some Teddy P. and make a love-bear it gets the most emasculating name imaginable. All the little rabbits and other "food" animals will be laughing at the mighty Pizzly Bear. Sure the rabbits and salmon and seals will die quickly and be devoured, but it's got to be tough having to constantly be out on the tundra living beyond the horrible name one inherited.

Pizzly Bear. Ha ha ha! Wait, what was that? Did I see something movi....

 

[durangodawood]

Hmm. What other kinds of bears could there be?

panda + koala = panko bear

gummi + grizzly = guzzly bear

teddy + gummi = tummy bear

 

[Occams Barber]

I think the saddest part of this story is the name "Pizzly". Now here's two top-level predators, masters of their domains, mighty and strong. When they get together, put on some Teddy P. and make a love-bear it gets the most emasculating name imaginable. All the little rabbits and other "food" animals will be laughing at the mighty Pizzly Bear. Sure the rabbits and salmon and seals will die quickly and be devoured, but it's got to be tough having to constantly be out on the tundra living beyond the horrible name one inherited.

Pizzly Bear. Ha ha ha! Wait, what was that? Did I see something movi....

'Pizzly' bear is an unfortunate name. It's hard to take them seriously with a name that sounds like an incontinence problem.

According to this Wikipedia article there are a few, more dignified, options for naming the beast:

Since the 2006 discovery placed the hybrid into the spotlight, the media have referred to this animal with several portmanteau names, such as pizzly bear, grolar bear,[25] and polizzly, but there is no consensus on the use of any one of these terms. Canadian wildlife officials have suggested calling the hybrid "nanulak", taken from the Inuit names for polar bear (nanuk) and grizzly bear (aklak).[26]

By one convention,[27] the name of the sire comes first in such combinations: the offspring of a male polar bear and a female grizzly would be the suggested nanulak or a "pizzly bear", while the offspring of a male grizzly and a female polar bear would be a "grolar bear" or possibly an aknuk.
​

OB

 

[Oneiric1975]

'Pizzly' bear is an unfortunate name. It's hard to take them seriously with a name that sounds like an incontinence problem.

According to this Wikipedia article there are a few, more dignified, options for naming the beast:

Since the 2006 discovery placed the hybrid into the spotlight, the media have referred to this animal with several portmanteau names, such as pizzly bear, grolar bear,[25] and polizzly, but there is no consensus on the use of any one of these terms. Canadian wildlife officials have suggested calling the hybrid "nanulak", taken from the Inuit names for polar bear (nanuk) and grizzly bear (aklak).[26]

By one convention,[27] the name of the sire comes first in such combinations: the offspring of a male polar bear and a female grizzly would be the suggested nanulak or a "pizzly bear", while the offspring of a male grizzly and a female polar bear would be a "grolar bear" or possibly an aknuk.
​

OB

I REALLY like "nanulak". That's a great name!

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

... I'd argue species is quite well defined as the ability to breed and produce viable offspring.

That's the popular 'rule-of-thumb' version, but there are many others. It isn't a well-defined scientific term. More generally, it's when populations are considered to be sufficiently different to justify being categorised separately - which is a matter of context and judgement.

If these were humans we'd be using the term races.

That's a thorny area. I think genetics is probably the best measure in such contexts.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Hmm. What other kinds of bears could there be?

panda + koala = panko bear

gummi + grizzly = guzzly bear

teddy + gummi = tummy bear

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Tanj]

That's a thorny area. I think genetics is probably the best measure in such contexts.

Sadly it isn't, or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Sadly it isn't, or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

The best measure doesn't always resolve the problem... but if there's a better measure, I'd like to know.

 

[Shemjaza]

... then they're not two species, they're one.

Under historical circumstances the two populations wouldn't mate... it's only because their environments are both shrinking and merging.

I suspect we are going to end with the same scenario as Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. The ice specialised species being extinct, with a small, but measurable genetic remnant of them remaining in the versatile southern version.

 

[Sabertooth]

Kodiak x Polar bear should equal a Polaroid...!
(Kodak & Polaroid started off as competing USA film companies.)