Polar Bear | Description, Habitat, & Facts
Polar bears are giant white bears. They are the largest terrestrial predator in the world. They can weigh up to 1500 pounds and are twice the size of lions. Polar bears can grow up to 10 feet long.
Where do Polar Bears live?
Polar bears live far north in the frigid Arctic. They are well insulated from the cold thanks to their thick fur and a thick layer of fat. The polar bear’s white fur is also used as camouflage over the snowy and icy terrain of the Arctic. Polar bears live on ice in winter and on land in summer when the ice melts. Sometimes in winter they can be more than 100 miles from shore.
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What do Polar Bears eat?
Polar bears hunt on land and in the sea. They are comfortable in freezing water and swim on their front legs like dogs. Seals are the polar bear’s main food source, but polar bears eat everything, including small animals and berries. Polar bears often hide near a hole in the ice where seals come to breathe. As the seal flies into the air, the polar bear grabs the seal with its sharp claws.
How do Polar Bears stay warm in such cold weather?
Polar bears have adapted to the cold Arctic. First, they have a thick layer of fat that insulates them from the cold. It is usually about 3 to 4 inches thick. Second, they have a thick outer coat made of hollow tubes filled with air. These outer hairs help keep their inner coat from getting wet when swimming in freezing water.
Are Polar Bears dangerous?
Although polar bears look cuddly and friendly, they are dangerous and aggressive. They often struggle to practice fighting with each other, but are rarely injured. A mother will be fiercely protective of her child, so don’t approach a mother and her child.
What are Polar Bears babies called?
Baby bears are called cubs. They are born in winter, usually in January or December. At birth, polar bears weigh only 1 pound. He can neither hear nor see and has very little hair. The cubs will stay with the mother for several years and the mother will teach them to hunt and feed.
Are polar bears in danger?
Polar bears are not currently listed as endangered, but they are listed as threatened and vulnerable. The current population of polar bears is estimated at around 25,000, but is decreasing. They are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching.
Interesting Facts About Polar Bears
They see very well underwater.
Polar bears’ fur isn’t actually white, but rather light-colored hairs that make them white.
They are patient and will wait for hours above a sealed hole for a chance to catch dinner.
They have an excellent sense of smell and can smell seals up to 20 miles away.
They do not hibernate, but they keep warm in winter by sleeping in burrows.
They are known to swim over 100 miles.
They are at the top of the food chain in their environment.