The polar bear population has dropped twofold in the first decade of this century.

TASS news agency of Russia reported the aforesaid citing a US Geological Survey report.

The experts monitored the polar bears from 2001 to 2010. As a result, it was found out that the number of these animals had reduced from approximately 1,600 to 900 within those ten years. 

Scientists believe that the cause for this occurrence is global warming, which leads to the melting of the Arctic Sea ice. Due to a drastic reduction of ice-covered areas in the summer months, the polar bears are unable to reach their usual hunting areas.