Designed by Polar Bears International (PBI), Bear-dar will be an AI-trained radar system, once it's finalized, to constantly detect bears and alert communities. PBI is attempting to train the radar to recognize polar bears and warn residents of nearby animals, giving them time to respond so both remain safe from harm.

As part of her Norway expedition, Whittal also joined female citizen scientists, Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Falun Strom. The two women spent more than 19 months in solitary in a cabin on Svalbard, documenting and collecting scientific data on behalf of NASA, Polar Bears International and other organizations.

Polar Bears International (PBI) is in its final year of instructing an AI radar system, dubbed Bear-dar, to detect bears and alert communities around the clock. PBI is trying to determine if it can be trained to recognize polar bears and warn residents of nearby animals, giving them time to respond so both remain safe from harm.

A polar bear's main diet is fat, and they have to eat around 43 ringed seals per year to survive. "They're able to digest that fat with a 96 to 97 per cent efficiency," says Dr. Ian Stirling, a scientific advisor at Polar Bears International.

This year's broadcast took place on Saturday, July 15, known as Arctic Sea Ice Day. It was created by Polar Bears International to spark actions and conversations about the rapidly melting Arctic ecosystem, why it matters, and how people around the globe can slow this warming trend.

Resting harbour seals alongside nesting seabird colonies are drawing the hungry carnivores closer, said Joanna Sulich, a biologist with the Norwegian Polar Institute and Polar Bears International.

"For many researchers who are studying those birds, it's something of concern," Sulich said.