Polar Bears Are Irish? | Nat Geo Live

you’re also looking at the polar bear

you’re also looking at the polar bear and by the way the best research has

and by the way the best research has

and by the way the best research has discovered that in every polar bear

discovered that in every polar bear

discovered that in every polar bear that’s alive today there’s a bit of the

that’s alive today there’s a bit of the

that’s alive today there’s a bit of the Irish

Irish

Irish you wouldn’t think of polar bears being

you wouldn’t think of polar bears being

you wouldn’t think of polar bears being in Ireland how does first of all how

in Ireland how does first of all how

in Ireland how does first of all how does that happen how are they all

does that happen how are they all

does that happen how are they all connected to the Irish well did you say

connected to the Irish well did you say

connected to the Irish well did you say in the news recently in the last couple

in the news recently in the last couple

in the news recently in the last couple years that there are polar bear brown

years that there are polar bear brown

years that there are polar bear brown bear hybrids that people have found

bear hybrids that people have found

bear hybrids that people have found hunters have found in in happening now

hunters have found in in happening now

hunters have found in in happening now as the climate is changing yeah and so

as the climate is changing yeah and so

as the climate is changing yeah and so that’s happening because polar bears and

that’s happening because polar bears and

that’s happening because polar bears and brown bears are actually not that

brown bears are actually not that

brown bears are actually not that different from each other they only

different from each other they only

different from each other they only diverged from a common ancestor probably

diverged from a common ancestor probably

diverged from a common ancestor probably around 500 thousand years ago or maybe

around 500 thousand years ago or maybe

around 500 thousand years ago or maybe less than that so they’re still very

less than that so they’re still very

less than that so they’re still very closely related to each other and they

closely related to each other and they

closely related to each other and they can breed and produce hybrid fertile

can breed and produce hybrid fertile

can breed and produce hybrid fertile hybrid offspring and it turns out that

hybrid offspring and it turns out that

hybrid offspring and it turns out that they do this whenever their ranges

they do this whenever their ranges

they do this whenever their ranges overlap and the last time their ranges

overlap and the last time their ranges

overlap and the last time their ranges overlapped was actually around the last

overlapped was actually around the last

overlapped was actually around the last ice age just before the last ice age

ice age just before the last ice age

ice age just before the last ice age where a lot of ice was formed over the

where a lot of ice was formed over the

where a lot of ice was formed over the the North Pole and it pushed polar bears

the North Pole and it pushed polar bears

the North Pole and it pushed polar bears onto land the extent of their habitat

onto land the extent of their habitat

onto land the extent of their habitat was at the edge of this ice floe which

was at the edge of this ice floe which

was at the edge of this ice floe which was on land and brown bears because

was on land and brown bears because

was on land and brown bears because there were glaciers on land were pushed

there were glaciers on land were pushed

there were glaciers on land were pushed to the edge of their habitat and again

to the edge of their habitat and again

to the edge of their habitat and again they interbred Ireland happened to be

they interbred Ireland happened to be

they interbred Ireland happened to be the meeting and it happened to have

the meeting and it happened to have

the meeting and it happened to have happened in Ireland indeed and so an

happened in Ireland indeed and so an

happened in Ireland indeed and so an Irish brown bear is actually the mother

Irish brown bear is actually the mother

Irish brown bear is actually the mother of all living polar bears and none of

of all living polar bears and none of

of all living polar bears and none of the Irish bears are left today no Irish

the Irish bears are left today no Irish

the Irish bears are left today no Irish bears brown bears have been extinct and

bears brown bears have been extinct and

bears brown bears have been extinct and I wonder since about six maybe eight

I wonder since about six maybe eight

I wonder since about six maybe eight thousand years ago the taking that

thousand years ago the taking that

thousand years ago the taking that research what does that say for polar

research what does that say for polar

research what does that say for polar bears today and and that’s survival of

bears today and and that’s survival of

bears today and and that’s survival of that species given we’ve seen

that species given we’ve seen

that species given we’ve seen hybridization occur in the past it

hybridization occur in the past it

hybridization occur in the past it didn’t work out so well for the woolly

didn’t work out so well for the woolly

didn’t work out so well for the woolly mammoth because the humans were there

mammoth because the humans were there

mammoth because the humans were there but we we’ve been here now in the polar

but we we’ve been here now in the polar

but we we’ve been here now in the polar bears a sort of survive does polar bears

bears a sort of survive does polar bears

bears a sort of survive does polar bears ours are threatened so because they

ours are threatened so because they

ours are threatened so because they require sea ice to be able to survive

require sea ice to be able to survive

require sea ice to be able to survive and well

and well

and well survive with hybrid can they hybridize

survive with hybrid can they hybridize

survive with hybrid can they hybridize again and then go back and become polar

again and then go back and become polar

again and then go back and become polar bears you know this it’s a good question

bears you know this it’s a good question

bears you know this it’s a good question and it’s one that people have asked but

and it’s one that people have asked but

and it’s one that people have asked but I think that if the only way that the

I think that if the only way that the

I think that if the only way that the polar bear can survive is by hybridizing

polar bear can survive is by hybridizing

polar bear can survive is by hybridizing with a brown bear and those hybrids then

with a brown bear and those hybrids then

with a brown bear and those hybrids then mate with brown bears you’re gonna get

mate with brown bears you’re gonna get

mate with brown bears you’re gonna get only brown bears and the polar bear will

only brown bears and the polar bear will

only brown bears and the polar bear will go extinct the only way that it can

go extinct the only way that it can

go extinct the only way that it can survive is if those hybrids manage to

survive is if those hybrids manage to

survive is if those hybrids manage to find other populations of polar bears to

find other populations of polar bears to

find other populations of polar bears to then breed with or places to live where

then breed with or places to live where

then breed with or places to live where they can be polar bears

they can be polar bears

they can be polar bears they’ll hybridize the genetic material

they’ll hybridize the genetic material

they’ll hybridize the genetic material will still be there just like there’s

will still be there just like there’s

will still be there just like there’s Neanderthal genetic material in all of

Neanderthal genetic material in all of

Neanderthal genetic material in all of us right but they won’t be polar bears