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Female polar bears in the Norwegian Arctic are growing male genitalia, report
scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute in Svalbard. The main cause is
likely to be high levels of pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), transported to the Arctic in water and air from Europe, North America
and Russia. PCBs damage the bears’ immune systems and affect their hormone
levels, causing them to grow penis-like stumps. The researchers found that 1.2
per cent of Svalbard’s 3000 or so bears have been affected so far. The
researchers warn that polar bear numbers could “go into slow decline”.