Polar Bear . The taxonomic name for polar bears is Ursus maritimus, which means sea bear, a fitting name for these champion swimmers. They have been known to swim more than 6. Unfortunately, due to loss of ice, the bears are now having to swim longer distances, as much as a few hundred miles, which takes a toll on their energy and fat storage. Despite the long, harsh winter, polar bears don’t hibernate. In fact, most of them (except pregnant females) continue to hunt seals throughout the winter. When the weather is extremely cold and hunting is impossible, bears may seek temporary shelter in show dens until conditions improve. A pregnant female stays in a snow den throughout her pregnancy, the birth of her cubs, and the first few months of the cubs’ life, without leaving the den. Changes in her metabolism allow her to go without food, water, defecation, or urination for as long as eight months. For most mammals, fasting during pregnancy would be life threatening, but the female bear gains a massive amount of weight before she dens. Her stored fat reserves provide all the energy she needs to sustain herself and her cubs. Still, she wakes easily. This process is called winter sleep. Polar bears have no natural enemies. Strong, ferocious, intelligent, and patient hunters, they top the food chain in the Arctic, where they dine primarily on seals. The bears can remain motionless for hours above a seal's breathing hole in the ice, just waiting for a seal to pop up. The polar bear's nose is so powerful it can smell a seal on the ice 2. No wonder many people call them . They have a nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, that allows them to see underwater and protects their eyes in blowing snow. Traveling across the polar or arctic regions, several polar bear facts for kids come to the fore. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large sized bear that is. Although polar bears appear to be white or yellow, their fur is actually clear, and their skin is black. Learn more polar bear facts at Animal Fact Guide! Click here for more animal facts. The scientific name for a Polar Bear is Ursus Maritimus meaning Sea Bear. Polar Bears live in the Arctic in the countries of USA. Stiff fur on the sole of each foot keeps the bear from slipping on the ice. It also muffles the sound of the bear’s approach when sneaking up on a sleeping seal. It costs a polar bear twice as much energy as most other mammals to move about in its Arctic environment. This helps explain their preference for resting frequently and hunting for seals using ambush techniques rather than stalking their prey. The ringed seal is the polar bear’s main prey, as it is the most numerous seal in the Arctic. One ringed seal provides a polar bear with enough energy for 1. Polar bears typically kill and eat every four to five days. Today is International Polar Bear Day, which celebrates everyone's favorite furry beasts of the Arctic. In honor of the occasion, Live Science brings you some wacky. Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska. Polar bears sit at the top of the food chain. Fun facts about polar bears for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets. Suitable for Kindergarten through Grade 6. Polar bears normally give birth to twin cubs. But it is possible for them to give birth to triplets or just one single cub. Photo: Reuters 16. Polar bears typically. Polar Bears Welcome! Do you want to learn more about polar bear cubs? Paws, claws, and fur? You've come to the right place! We are the world’s foremost. Fun Facts about Brown Bears for Kids. Brown bears aren’t just brown. Some are cream or black. Brown bears are omnivores, which means they eat just about anything. These bears eat just about anything, if they have the opportunity, but it is important to remember that they need access to the high- calorie diet that seals provide. While they will eat walrus, caribou, beached whales, grass, and seaweed, none of these have been shown to provide adequate and reliable nutrition for wild polar bears. Polar bears at the San Diego Zoo get a fortified meat- based commercial carnivore diet, dog kibble, trout and other fish, as well as root vegetables and lettuce as treats. Cow femur bones and thawed rabbits are added once or twice per week. Polar bears get very little nutrition or calories from vegetables, so these items are offered as treats, and the whole carrots keep their teeth clean. Fun Facts About Polar Bears DietsPolar Bear Facts . On average they live to be about 2. Although they appear white or yellow in color, their fur is actually clear and hollow, and their skin is black. Their visibly pale coloring is caused by the reflection and scattering of light. Inhabiting the ice and sea of the Arctic, polar bears are well- equipped for survival in a harsh environment. Two coats of fur and a thick layer of blubber help insulate the polar bear’s body from the cold, keeping its temperature at an even 3. In addition, polar bears’ paws are especially adapted for walking on the ice and swimming in the sea. Hairs and bumps on the soles of their feet provide traction, while webbing between their toes allows for effective swimming strokes. Polar bears are also equipped with strong noses. They use their powerful sense of smell when hunting for seals, their main source of food. They can smell a seal’s breathing hole, or aglu, up to one mile away. Once located, a polar bear will wait patiently by the hole and attack the seal’s head when it comes up for air. In ideal hunting conditions, the bear will just eat the seal fat, leaving the carcass for other animals. However, when food is scarce, polar bears will eat just about anything. Supplemental foods include walruses, short- legged reindeer, birds, bird eggs, kelp, and beached whales. When in proximity to human settlements, they have even been known to eat garbage such as Styrofoam. Polar bears do not hibernate like other bears, but females do enter into a dormant state while pregnant. After mating in the spring, a female polar bear spends the summer ingesting large amounts of food and building a maternity den in a snow drift to prepare for the arrival of her cubs. In the fall, she enters into a dormant state, remaining this way even as she gives birth. The litter, usually two cubs, will spend two years with their mother learning essential hunting and survival skills. Conservation Status. Polar bears are currently listed as vulnerable by IUCN’s Red List. Global warming greatly impacts the fate of the polar bear. A reduction of large masses of ice results in limited access to seals. Not only does this adversely affect the health of adult polar bears, it also hinders the successful reproduction and nourishment of new bear cubs. Rising temperatures also result in unstable maternity dens, as snowdrifts melt and collapse. What You Can Do to Help. To help save the polar bear habitat, you can take measures to reduce your carbon emissions in order to curb global warming. This includes walking or taking public transportation instead of driving, using energy saver appliances and light bulbs, buying locally grown produce, recycling, and more. For more information, visit the Inconvenient Truth website. Polar Bear Distribution. Polar bears inhabit the sea and ice masses of the Arctic circle. Polar Bear Resources. You Might Also Like. Blog Posts about the Polar Bear. Help Name Toronto Zoo’s Polar Bear Cub - February 1. Polar Bear Cub Takes First Steps - January 1. Featured Animal: Polar Bear - December 1, 2. Spy Cameras Not Very Secret - December 3. Square Miles Designated Polar Bear Critical Habitat - November 2. Polar Bear Cubs Born - December 8, 2. Polar Bear Undergoes Root Canal - February 7, 2. The Last Polar Bear - October 1, 2. About the Author. Abi Cushman is a lifelong animal lover and the editor- in- chief of Animal Fact Guide. She not only writes and edits articles, she also creates animal illustrations for the site. Follow her on Twitter: @abicushman. Last updated on August 2.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2017
Categories |