Hybridization has led to some of the unique, naturally-occuring
species present today, such as the Mallard duck-American Black
duck hybrid. Usually this natural process takes generations to
produce a new distinct species; however, it is possible for
hybrids to emerge within one generation. For example,
interspecies breeding could be expedited due to environmental
stressors caused by climate change. Species that would not
normally come in contact with one another are being pushed into
the same habitats—called hybrid zones—due to the removal of
physical barriers, like glaciers and ice sheets. The arctic area
in particular is experiencing an increase in hybridization due
to habitat changes brought about by climate change. Everyone has
seen the photographs of the polar bear clinging to a shrinking
piece of ice – the shrinking ice is in fact what is encouraging
the influx of non-native species into the Arctic. Polar bears
broke off as their own species hundreds of thousands of years
ago because they were able to a