 |
| Polar Bear |
Polar Bear Interesting Facts And This Is The Special Feature
Do you know about a unique animal found in the Arctic region, if not, then you must read about polar bears. Polar bears are bears that are endemic animals of the tundra region. Not only this, this animal lives a majestic life in the snow-covered region of the Arctic with its white texture.
The scientific name of this unique bear found in the Arctic region, Ursus maritimus, when translated, means sea bear and these white bears are considered to be apex predators who hunt seals through breathing holes. These bears wait for the seals to come out of their breathing holes before pouncing on them.
Polar bears seen in areas like Russia, Greenland, Svalbard, Hudson Bay are in danger today due to some reason or the other and the main reason for this is climate change and the destruction of their habitats. But the good thing is that efforts have been made to save them from extinction. So read on to know more about these unique bears,
Where Are Polar Bears Found
As the name of this white bear suggests, it is found in the polar regions of the Arctic Circle. Apart from this, polar bears like to live on the ice and sea ice of the Arctic Ocean and can also be seen in some countries present in the Arctic Circle or Tundra Zone. But where these white bears live also depends on how the ice melts in different areas.
It is known that in places like James Bay or Hudson Bay, the ice melts faster, which is why bears travel towards land in the summer. Moreover, these bears wait for the ice to freeze before returning from ice-free areas. In some places in Russia, these bears travel north in search of frozen sea ice in the summer instead of returning south.
Researchers have reported that these close relatives of brown bears do not like to live in the northern parts of the Arctic. One of the interesting facts is that there was a description of a polar bear swimming about 643 kilometers in nine days in the Bering Sea. The female bear traveled about 1700 kilometers in search of sea ice and it was estimated that she lost about 22% of her body fat during the journey.
This white bear can stay underwater for up to three minutes to reach seals floating on the shore or on the ice. Apart from this, this bear has no natural predators and it is mostly killed by other polar bears in fights.
Scientific Name Of Polar Bear
The scientific name of polar bear is Ursus maritimus. Polar bear is a species of bear that lives in the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean and some countries of the Arctic Circle. Apart from this, these polar bears are considered to be a close relative of brown bears. Polar bear is a bear species that belongs to the mammalian class and the family classification of these marine mammals is Ursidae.
The unique appearance of this bear among all other wildlife can cause them to be called cute. The playfulness tendency of this bear also increases their beauty. Their cubs are very playful and imitate their mother's hunting habits in search of food, seals and prey. A small polar bear cub looks very cute.
Polar Bear Habitat
The favorite habitat of these white bears is considered to be the land area along the sea ice and the Arctic Circle and it has been called the Arctic ring of life. Because these bears live in cold areas and they have made some adaptations to fit into life with ice. Swimming of polar bears is considered to be one such adaptive ability and these polar bears can swim from one piece of ice to another. Apart from this, they are considered great divers and swimmers.
Their ability to swim and hunt has made polar bears the top predators in the tundra. Apart from this, all the other abilities of these bears have stopped depending on the ice. Relying on the ice habitat, these white bears hunt seals and travel to survive. But if their stay in the ice-free habitat becomes too much for them, then survival can be difficult.
These bears are also well adapted to the harsh cold and have two layers of fur. Their third layer is of fat which keeps this bear warm. Apart from this, white polar bears have also been seen digging holes in the snow to survive on cold windy days. Polar bears are solitary animals but it has been observed that polar bears enjoy close friendships with males within their species.
Sometimes several polar bears share a playful relationship with each other and have even been seen resting with each other. Apart from this, female bears do not remain alone while raising their children.
How Do Polar Bears Look Like
Polar bears are the most unique in appearance among the bear species and the face of the polar bear appears longer and narrower than that of a normal bear. The snout of the polar bear is also large and a long neck is also considered a part of their physical characteristics. The ears of the polar bear are small in size and the tail is also short. The length of the tail of the polar bear rarely exceeds 2.8-5.8 inches and it is considered the smallest among all bear species.
The legs of the polar bear are muscular and decorative hair is present on the hind legs of the males to attract the attention of females. The feet and claws of the polar bear are large which helps them to balance the weight while passing through thin or thick ice and snow in search of food and seals. Apart from this, the hind paws of this bear also help in swimming which helps them to move forward in the water.
The fur of this bear may be their best feature and polar bears have two layers of fur and a layer of fat that helps them keep warm in the snow-covered region of the tundra. But the white fur of this bear is not actually white but translucent. This translucent guard hair has a black fur present underneath it and this black fur covers the thick layer of adipose tissue in the polar bear's skin. This layer of fat in the body serves for warmth when this bear swims in the sea. Read- Beautiful Birds | 28 Most Colorful Birds in The World
%20(1).jpg "Polar Bear Interesting Facts And This Is The Special Feature") |
| Polar Bear |
Polar Bear Size And Weight
Polar bears are quite large in size and can be around 5-10 feet when measured standing on their hind legs. Apart from this, the height of this bear measured at the shoulder is between about 4-5.5 feet. There is a significant difference in size between females with male polar bears being larger and a polar bear is easily twice the size of a human when standing.
The largest polar bear ever caught in the world was measured to be more than 11 feet in length when standing on its hind legs. This white bear weighs quite a lot compared to other animals and females are about half the size of males.
A polar bear can weigh up to about 600 kg. The heaviest polar bear ever caught is believed to have weighed around 1020 kg. This huge weight range can be attributed to the huge amount of fat stored in their bodies.
What Do Polar Bears Eat
Polar bears are considered apex predators and feed primarily on a variety of seal species such as ringed seals and bearded seals. In addition to their ability to hunt seals, bears also prey on other wildlife such as birds and muskox that live on snow-covered sea ice. Polar bears may also eat reindeer and some plants.
How Polar Bears Reproduce
The white bear is one of the many species in which the males court the females. The courtship period lasts between the months of April and May. Male polar bears swim or travel to follow the females. Polar bears are known to be violent and engage in battles with other males to gain mating rights.
The male and female then engage in multiple mating sessions as the bear has induced ovulation. Once mating is complete the male polar bears leave and the female polar bears become pregnant during the fall. Pregnant females need to survive the snow-filled winter and the females do so by digging a den in the snow or ice.
The dens are the places where the females rest before giving birth between the months of November and February. The dens are present on land areas near the coast. Interestingly, pregnant female polar bears can continue to reuse the den for further mating cycles.
The female gives birth to two babies in the den and the mother does not leave the babies alone in the den for about two weeks while the babies are being fed. Their babies are born blind and covered with light hair.
How Long Do Polar Bears Live
It is believed that the lifespan of polar bears is between 20-25 years. There was a female polar bear in custody who died at the age of 43, which was the longest lifespan recorded. Apart from this, there has not been a single case of a polar bear living more than 32 years in the wild.
How Fast Can Polar Bears Run
The speed of polar bears is mostly considered slow while walking on sea ice and their speed on sea ice is about 6 kilometers per hour. But it is not that these bears cannot run fast. Polar bears are believed to reach a speed of about 38 kilometers per hour but they can mostly be seen walking.
Polar bears do not like to run much due to the problem of overheating in their body. They get heated very fast while running. Apart from this, the swimming speed of polar bears can reach about 9 kilometers per hour.
How Polar Bears Communicate
These bears are considered quiet animals and communicate with each other only through certain vocalizations and sounds. Polar bears have a very keen sense of smell and males chase females by the scent of trails left in the snow. This may be due to the climate where olfactory senses have evolved instead of vision.
Growling, hissing and roaring are considered as signs of polar bear aggression. Also, bleating and snorting can be a sign of stress, fear and nervousness. The common distress call among young ones is bleating while females communicate with their young through sighs, moans and grunts. Read- Magpie Bird Fun Facts About The Intelligent Bird
 |
| Polar Bear |
How Many Polar Bears Are There In The World
Estimating the number of polar bears can be a difficult endeavor. Different sources suggest different polar bear populations and it can be said that the total population of this bear may be between about 22,000-31,000. Researchers estimate that a more accurate figure of the polar bear population may be around 26,000.
Polar bears are not an endangered species. But they are not far from being endangered yet polar bears are not classified as such. The International Union for Conservation of Nature puts polar bears in the category of vulnerable in its Red List.
The number of these white bears may decrease due to the destruction of their habitat and pollution. Oil spills play a major role in reducing the number of seals in the tundra which are considered to be the main food source of this bear. Apart from this, hunting of polar bears for their fur is also reducing their numbers.
Polar Bear Behavior
Polar bears are considered dangerous because they are fearless animals of humans. Climate change has affected the eating habits of polar bears and instead of sea ice, they now roam dangerously close to human settlements in search of food.
Although polar bear attacks on humans have rarely been recorded, we must remember that polar bears are actually carnivorous animals. Being native to cold regions and carnivorous in nature, they should never be kept as pets.
Polar Bear Facts For Kids
1. How far can a polar bear smell?
These bears have a very good sense of smell which they use to find their prey. A polar bear can smell the scent of a seal on the ice about 32 kilometers away. Apart from this, a polar bear can smell the smell of a seal's breathing hole in the ice more than half a mile away.
2. Why are polar bears famous?
Polar bears are considered to be at the top of the food chain and are considered to play an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. Apart from this, these bears have also been an important part of the cultures and economies of Arctic people for thousands of years.
3. Are polar bears friendly towards humans?
Considered as powerful predators, polar bears pose a major threat to human life and property. Within the range of polar bears, attacks on humans and property are on the rise as they are dangerous animals.
4. What is the lifespan of a polar bear?
It is believed that the lifespan of a polar bear is around 20-25 years. There was a female polar bear in custody who died at the age of 43 which was the longest lifespan recorded.
5. What is a female polar bear called?
Polar bears use their sense of smell to hunt seals and seals are their favorite food. Male polar bears are called boars and female polar bears are called sows.
6. How powerful is a polar bear?
A polar bear can weigh up to about 600 kilograms and can lift about 0.7 times its body weight. Male polar bears can weigh between 300 and 700 kilograms while females are mostly smaller at between 150 and 350 kilograms.
7. What do polar bears drink?
These bears do not need as much water as we think and they obtain water in different ways. Polar bears drink fresh water from melt ponds on sea ice. Apart from this, polar bears drink fresh water from landscapes on land and drink diluted sea water or eat small amounts of snow.
8. Do polar bears eat meat?
Polar bears are almost entirely carnivorous animals. Polar bears mainly eat ringed seals but can also eat bearded seals.
9. Are polar bears hot or cold?
Their body temperature is around 98.6º Fahrenheit which is normal for most mammals but their adaptation to cold climates means they have an unfortunate tendency to overheat.
10. Do polar bears lay eggs?
Polar bears are mammals. So they give live birth. A female polar bear gives birth to two cubs. The cubs are blind at birth.