WINNIPEG — A colder summer has been good for Hudson Bay polar bears.

Experts say the sea ice has lasted longer than it has in years, giving the bears more time to hunt and feed.

Andrew Derocher of the University of Alberta says it's good news in an area where the polar bear population has declined by 25 per cent.

He says even a few extra weeks on the ice can make a huge difference to the survival of the bears.

But experts say this doesn't mean polar bears are no longer under threat from climate change.

Robert Buchanan, head of Polar Bear International, says Hudson Bay is an anomaly this year and sea ice generally continues to melt at an alarming rate.