Polar Bear Genitals Are Shrinking

[derekkj 0]

Study: Polar Bear Genitals Are Shrinking

Friday, August 25, 2006

The genitals of polar bears in eastern Greenland are apparently dwindling in size due to industrial pollutants, a new study finds.

Scientists report that this shrinkage could, in the worst-case scenario, endanger polar bears on Greenland and elsewhere by spoiling their love lives and causing their numbers to peter out.

In fact, all marine mammals could be affected by pollutants, "especially the Arctic fox, killer whale and pilot whales," wildlife veterinarian and toxicologist Christian Sonne at the National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark told LiveScience.

Arctic animals' bodies, which store large amounts of fat, carry extremely high levels of contaminants.

Polar bears from northernmost Norway, western Russia and eastern Greenland are among the most polluted animals in the Arctic, as they feast on ringed seals and bearded seals.

The blubber of these seals accumulates high levels of organic pollutants loaded with halogens, such as chlorine. These organohalogens can act like hormones.

Sonne and his colleagues looked at formaldehyde-preserved genitals from 55 male and 44 female eastern Greenland polar bears, collected from 1999 to 2002 by polar-bear subsistence hunters regulated by the Greenlandic government.

Harrowing expedition

The researchers experienced harrowing times on their dog-sled expeditions into the wilds of Greenland to study polar bears.

"One evening a bear came just next to us in the night when we were doing the toilette," Sonne recalled. "They shot and it ran."

Another time, "we almost had to eat the dogs as we ran out of food and seals. It was cold sleeping in minus 50 degrees C [minus 58 Fahrenheit] in five weeks with no heater."

The adult polar bear testicles the researchers examined were on average roughly three inches across and 1.8 ounces in weight, although they dramatically enlarge during the height of sexual activity from January to July.

Their bacula, or ####### bones, were on average nearly seven inches long. (Most male carnivores and rodents have bones in their penises.)

The scientists found the higher the level of organohalogens in a polar bear, the smaller the testicles and baculum likely were. Ovary size and weight among females also decreased as organohalogen levels rose.

Slow to mate

Polar bears have among the lowest reproductive rates for terrestrial mammals.

Reducing polar bear ####### size would thus make sex less successful, upsetting naturally slow-to-grow polar bear numbers, the scientists say. Testicle and ovary shrinkage would upset polar bear reproduction too.

Future research should examine the effects of low levels of organohalogen contamination, Sonne said.

"How long do we have to go down in exposure levels to obtain no-effect levels? Is it possible at all?" he explained.

Sonne and his colleagues reported their findings online Aug. 16 on the Web site of the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Edited August 25, 2006 by derekkj

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

dayum shrinkage! i hate it when that happens!

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 14,293]

i have to wonder who was the brave person to go measure them

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

i have to wonder who was the brave person to go measure them

yeah! and how the hell to you measure 'em on a whale?

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 14,293]

i have to wonder who was the brave person to go measure them

yeah! and how the hell to you measure 'em on a whale?

Daniel

:energetic:

daniel, got a job for you. take this 25' tape measure and jump in the water........

almaty, you stand by to deal with daniel's feelings of inadequacy after he comes back

[luvaLimey 0]

i have to wonder who was the brave person to go measure them

... did you read the article?

They were measuring the genitalia that were removed from polar bears which had been hunted. The bears were dead by the time they were measuring them.

[Bootylicious!! 2]

Are they sure it's the pollutants? Did they wait long enough after they got out of that frigid water before they tried taking measurements?

[derekkj 0]

daniel, got a job for you. take this 25' tape measure and jump in the water........

almaty, you stand by to deal with daniel's feelings of inadequacy after he comes back

Also thought this part was interesting, "Their bacula, or ####### bones, were on average nearly seven inches long. (Most male carnivores and rodents have bones in their penises.)". I remember learning about bacula when I worked for the National Cattleman's Association and thinking my coworkers were pulling my leg. To prove it, one of them showed me a catalog of different items you could buy- jewelry, toothpicks, walking sticks, etc. - that were made out of different animals. Some of the craftsmanship was beautiful but no thanks!

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Are they sure it's the pollutants? Did they wait long enough after they got out of that frigid water before they tried taking measurements?

exactly my point hating it when that happens! don't everyone know about this?

Daniel

:energetic:

[Peter Miami 1]

i have to wonder who was the brave person to go measure them

yeah! and how the hell to you measure 'em on a whale?

Daniel

:energetic:

daniel, got a job for you. take this 25' tape measure and jump in the water........

almaty, you stand by to deal with daniel's feelings of inadequacy after he comes back

Peter Miami

[mawilson 2,133]

I'm so glad that scientists are not wasting taxpayers' money on nonsense.

[garya505 2]

I don't care about the polar bears as long as my "little buddies" don't start shriveling up!

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

I don't care about the polar bears as long as my "little buddies" don't start shriveling up!

just stay way from polluted seals.

Daniel

:energetic:

[KarenCee 3]

I am SO relieved to know this information. My life is complete now.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

maybe the bears ought to switch over to boxers. you know, so they the can hang a bit more freely.

Daniel

:energetic: