Photo: FloridaStock/Shutterstock Fun FactsĪll polar bears are "left-pawed".Polar bears are known to be very skilled and intelligent predators. During this time, their mother also teaches them how to hunt. They continue to nurse until they are 2.5 years old. At this point, the young animals are allowed outside for the first time. Due to the high-fat breast milk, however, they already weigh 22 to 33 pounds (10-15 kg) after two months. They only weigh 14 to 31 ounces (400-900 grams). Polar bear cubs are blind and deaf at birth. Experts estimate that polar bears will be extinct by the year 2100. However, it actually hunts seals and is less successful in hunting on the mainland. The pack ice is melting due to climate change, so that the animals have to migrate south to the mainland. After all, it is not a marine mammal that spends the whole day in the water. They need pack ice on which to rest, hunt, feed, and breed. Photo: FloridaStock/Shutterstock Enemies and Threatsįor polar bears, climate change is the greatest threat. Sometimes they even jump into the icy (!) waters to refresh themselves. They lie down, even when only walking short distances. To cool down, they lie down in the snow or on the ice on their backs and lift their feet up in the air. Yet, during the Arctic summer, the animals often get too warm. During the winter, the coat keeps the bear cozily warm. In the Arctic, temperatures range from -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50 degrees Celsius) in winter to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) in summer. Only female polar bears that are pregnant hibernate. Seals are plentiful, so they spend a lot of time hunting and feeding. What Do Polar Bears Do in Winter?īetween October and February there is almost total darkness in the Arctic. Then they suddenly rush to grab their prey. The polar bears crouches and then creeps the last few feet over the ice. Sometimes they wait for hours for a seal to appear. Instead, they wait at holes in the ice until seals resurface to breathe. They usually do not dive deeper than 6 to 7 feet (2 m). Then they have to surface again to catch their breath. Polar bears are good swimmers, but they can only stay underwater for about 2 minutes. However, this is happening more and more due to climate change. Usually the animals do not swim such long distances because it is very exhausting for them. This was reported by the United States Geological Survy (USGS) in Polar Biology magazine in 2008. The record for the longest distance a polar bear swam is 426 miles (687 km) in nine days. Polar bears have the best sense of smell. Photo: Sylvie Bouchard/Shutterstock Senses and Abilities This also has a major advantage when walking: its weight is evenly distributed so that it doesn't sink in the snow or collapse on thin ice. The paws are 11 to 12 inches (30 cm) long. Its toes are webbed to move faster in the water. Polar bears have a thick layer of fat that keeps them warm in the Arctic. Surprise! The skin under their fur is black. To clean their coat, polar bears simply wallow in the snow. There is a good reason for this: The warmth of the sunlight can directly reach the skin. CoatĪlthough the coat of the polar bear appears to be white, its hairs are actually transparent and hollow inside. Their body length is between 78 to 98 inches (200-250 cm) and the shoulder height is 62 inches (160 cm). Polar bears weigh between 8 pounds (400 and 500 kg). Photo: Vaclav Sebek/Shutterstock Anatomy and Appearance Size and Weight They also prey on small rodents such as lemmings, voles and ground squirrels. There are no polar bears in Antarctica (= at the South Pole). The other 40% are spread across Alaska, Greenland, Russia and Svalbard. 60% of polar bears live in northern Canada. Polar bears live exclusively in the Arctic (= around the North Pole). Only the brown bear and the Kodiak bear in Alaska reach a similar size. The polar bear is one of the biggest bears in the world.
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