Polar bear has video camera strapped round its neck capturing rare footage

Melting sea ice means current population of 26,000 bears could fall to less than 9,000 over next three or four decades

A polar bear which had a camera strapped to its neck has given scientists an intimate glimpse into the challenges global warming has posed for the creatures.

Taken over a two-week period, the female bear can be seen diving in and out of gaps in the ice for fish.

At one point it stands motionless as a wide stream of ocean water appears to block her path.

The polar bear was one of 10 creatures to have a Go Pro camera attached to it as part of a study of animals in the southern Beaufort Sea in the Arctic.

The research was led by US Geological Survey research biologist, Anthony Pagano.

The film was taken over two weeks late last year but only recently released.

Mr Pagano's research team stressed that no animals were harmed during their work and that all wildlife welfare rules were followed.

Despite the power of the polar bear, which can weigh up to 700kg and run at speeds up to 25mph, it is under enormous threat of global warming.

Melting sea ice is one of the reasons that some scientist have predicted that the current population of 26,000 polar bears could fall to less than 9,000 over the next three or four decades.

Polar Bears, which are the only animals known to hunt humans for sport, are listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

The melting of ice caps eats away at the polar bears’ natural habitat and is estimated to increase sea levels by more than a metre in depth over the next century.

When the US Fish and Wildlife Service published its Conservation Management Plan earlier this week, it included strategies for saving the world’s polar bears.

“Make no mistake; without decisive action to address Arctic warming, the long-term fate of this species is uncertain,” it said.