Data from: Glacial ice supports a distinct and undocumented polar bear subpopulation persisting in late 21st-century sea-ice conditions

Polar bears are susceptible to climate warming because of their dependence
on sea ice, which is declining rapidly. We present the first evidence for
a genetically distinct and functionally isolated group of polar bears in
Southeast Greenland. These bears occupy sea-ice conditions resembling
those projected for the High Arctic in the late 21st century, with an
annual ice-free period that is >100 days longer than the estimated
fasting threshold for the species. Whereas polar bears in most of the
Arctic depend on annual sea ice to catch seals, Southeast Greenland bears
have a year-round hunting platform in the form of freshwater glacial
mélange. This suggests that marine-terminating glaciers, although of
limited availability, may serve as previously unrecognized climate
refugia. Conservation of Southeast Greenland polar bears, which meet the
criteria for recognition as the world’s 20th polar bear subpopulation, is
necessary to preserve the genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of
the species.