PREVIEW

With North America marking Groundhog Day on Sunday (2February) Toronto Zoo’s polar bears had an important message about climate change to deliver. It is now always spring for their species due to the melting Arctic ice.

Juno the polar bear has made the call, forecasting a late arrival for spring - but unlike famed Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, she does not call it winter.

The prediction may come as a disappointment to those hoping for an early thaw following a bitterly cold January. However, experts at the zoo stress that a natural seasonal cycle is crucial for the planet, particularly for Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, which are increasingly threatened by shifting climate patterns.

The zoo also used the occasion to highlight the dangers of climate change, linking the warming of the planet to human activity.

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and methane gas releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, creating a ‘heat-trapping blanket’ that warms the air, land, and oceans. This warming effect is particularly devastating in the Arctic, where shrinking sea ice threatens both the region’s communities and its wildlife.
Polar bears rely on sea ice for hunting, migration, and reproduction. Without it, their chances of survival are drastically reduced. In 2024, the Southern Hudson Bay population of polar bears experienced a record-breaking 197 days off the ice, forcing them to fast for more than six months. Some bears can lose up to a kilogram per day—amounting to half their body weight in a single year.

Beyond wildlife, the loss of sea ice and permafrost has serious implications for people living in the Arctic. Changes to the landscape threaten food security, disrupt transport routes, and cause severe structural damage to homes and infrastructure.

As Juno’s prediction suggests, winter may be far from over—but for polar bears and the Arctic’s fragile ecosystem, the real challenge is how long the cold will last in the years to come.