A Picture is Worth... Algae-Dyed Polar Bears
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 09. 7.08
Image from Shuzo Shikano/Kyodo News
Before you start getting worried, let me reassure you that this is not a case of a genetic engineering experiment gone terribly wrong. No, apparently it's just your typical case of polar bears swimming in a particularly algae-rich pond, as the AP reports:
Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae.High temperatures in July and August and less-frequent water changes because of the zoo's conservation efforts caused an algae growth in the bear pond and safety moat, Kurobe said.
If you thought cleaning up an algae outbreak was hard work, try scrubbing down each and every bit of the bears' fur (keeping in mind that you're working with bears here). Fortunately, the bears are expected to make a full "recovery" by the end of November, when the algae growth will have relented (somewhat).
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Makes ya think they don't take care of their zoo enough. They are swimming in algea filled waters. Gotta think there might be health consequences too.
I hope the bears are ok long term.
I thought that right away, also, that they weren't taking care of the bears properly. But it does state that they were trying to conserve water -- a good thing. I know just from having aquariums at home that sometimes the algae gets out of hand. Its fairly easy to clean up a home aquaruim, not so much for a bear pond I guess!
Wonder if the bears even notice? Obviously the water tastes different, but do they notice they're green?
this is where someone makes a joke about how "polar bears are going green!"
more like Polar Bears trying to inspire HUMANS to go green and save their kind!
If they would use real water (i.e. from a natural spring or rain - without being treated/added chlorine) they wouldn't have that problem... and it would be healthier for the animals and the environment too. My mom has a pond with spring/rain water only and they never have to change the water (with a natural filtration system and plants), plus the fish are huge and happy, but as soon as someone throws some tap water in it, it goes green with algae!
I don't know... this could become the next step in polar bear camo. When the arctic ice melts, they just get a coat of algae to help them blend in with their new surroundings. :P