What was the "Great Melt"?

Each summer, the face of the Arctic Circle transforms drastically. Ice and snow fall off the landscape and the world is rejuvenated. Day returns with a vengeance, and in some years it packs more of a punch than in others. An astounding summer Arctic ice decline took place in 2007; according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, it dropped to a record low of 1.65 million square miles, the lowest to date since satellite measurements began in 1979.

A Day in the Sun

Summer marks a time of great change for the inhabitants of the Arctic; their lifestyles abruptly shift gears to make the most of the brief sunbathed season. Narwhals, belugas, foxes, walruses, seals and birds galore all revel in the bountiful summer months.

With the waters free from the grips of ice, narwhals and belugas are among those animals that enjoy prime feasts and playful socializing. Narwhals wind their way through channels that begin to carve up the ice sheets, although at times they must wait impatiently for the sun to continue slicing them a path — unless their horns are up to the task.

Belugas are quite a sight, too. They swarm to the shallow mouths of riverbeds and proceed to thrash playfully around in the pebbles, helping to loosen skin — and possible parasites — that need shedding. It looks like an awful lot of fun, too, and the whales show their enjoyment with a chorus of whistles and whale song.

Guillemots are one species of bird that nest during the Arctic summer, and they congregate on rocky cliffsides in vast colonies. Guillemot chicks are hatched in no time, and they soon take their first tentative flights down from their lofty nests, intent on reaching the distant waters. Proud parents follow closely behind, calling out encouragements to the fledgling aviators. Those who don't reach the water, or near enough to it, become a much-needed meal for others, like a hungry pack of fluffy fox pups.

The young foxes will be hard-pressed to keep their bellies full on their own during the brutal Arctic winter, so their mother works diligently to provide them with enough food to prepare them for the tough months to come.

Bad News Bears

Polar bears, on the other hand, suffer during the Great Melt. Their hunting skills are better suited for conditions during the colder seasons, and they face many dangers during the summer. Perhaps the most terrifying is the possibility of being caught at sea, trapped and drifting on a dwindling patch of ice that pulls ever farther out from land, until they perish on the open ocean with no food or water to sustain them.

Those polar bears that are lucky enough to keep solid ground under their feet during the summer months still have a challenging time scraping together enough food to survive. And if the Great Melt becomes more dramatic in future years, even they might not be able to withstand the long wait for winter.