India, May 1 -- New research shows polar bears' visits to human camps are driven less by hunger and more by the length of the ice-free season.

Over 580 visits were recorded by triail cameras over a decade.

As sea ice disappeared for longer, bears of all body conditions increasingly approached infrastructure, it was observed.

This complicates assumptions about climate change and conflict risk.

Polar bears are intensely curious animals. That curiosity often brings them into contact with people and can put both species at risk from one another.

As the Arctic climate warms, some polar bears are spending more time on shore, away from the sea ice habitats they rely on to hunt seals. As the bears are under nutritional stress due to ice loss...