Polar Bears

Polar Bears

Fact File 

Species: Bear

Latin name: Ursus timusmari

Meaning: maritime bear

Diet: Carnivore

Habitats: Arctic sea ice

Population: 20,000 to 25,000 (2008)

Appearance

Polar Bears have large bodies and long necks.

The Polar Bear is the largest of the bear species.
Males are about 2.6 m from head to tail. and females are about 2 m.
Males weigh about 408 kilos and females about 226 kilos .
A male Polar Bear standing on its back legs may be 3 m tall.
Their ears are small, round and close to their head.
 They have powerful heads and strong teeth.
 Their fur is white, so they blend in with the  snow around them.
They have black eyes, nose and mouth and black skin under their fur.
Their front paws are large and slightly webbed for swimming.

Habitat 

Polar bears live on the arctic sea ice that provides a platform from which they can hunt, breed, and in some cases create dens. Five nations have polar bear populations: the United States (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway.

Diet

Polar bears are carnivorous. The polar bear's body needs large amounts of seal fat; they are the most carnivorous member of the bear family. Food can be hard to find for polar bears for much of the year. The bear puts on most of its fat reserves between late April and mid-July to maintain its weight in the lean seasons. Polar bears hunt seals by waiting for them to come to the surface of sea ice to breathe. When the seal nears the surface, the polar bear will bite or grab the seal and pull it onto land to feed. 

 Polar Cubs

Polar bear baby cubs are born inside the den in November, December or January. A litter will usually consist of two polar bear baby cubs, but giving birth to one single cub is also quite common. Female polar bears will normally give birth once every three years, but it is not uncommon for a female to give birth every second year. The newborn polar bear baby cubs are approximately 30 centimetres long and will weigh 454 to 680 g.

Abilities 

Even though the water is icy, polar bears are very good swimmers. Healthy adult polar bears can swim for several days without stopping. They swim from the mainland to large, floating ice islands that have broken away. 
Although polar bears are masters of still hunting, they can reach speeds of 25 mph for short bursts. 

Threats

Climate change  

The ice is melting and sooner or later the polar bears won't have anywhere to live.

PoisoningPolar bears can eat oil through grooming and through eating prey that has been contaminated.

Poaching
People used to hunt the polar bears for warmth and food when they needed it. In Russia the people used to hunt them for food. Now people believe they are doing it for money. Polar bears skins sell for about 1000$ to 3000$.  The natives only hunt about 50 bears a year. The natives are the only people in the US  that are aloud to hunt the polar bears. 

Fun Facts

Q: What to polar bears eat for lunch?

 A: Ice berg-ers! 

Q: What did the polar bear say when it saw the igloo?    

A: "Oooo! I LOVE these things! Crunchy on the outside - with a nice chewy center!"

International Polar Bear Day takes place every year on February 27^th.

Bye and thanks for reading!!!!