Polar bear fur is translucent, and only appears white because it reflects visible light. Polar bears are opportunistic as well as predatory; they will consume dead fish and carcasses of stranded whales and eat garbage near human settlements. © … Description. Polar bears prefer ice that is subject to periodic fracturing by wind and sea currents, because these fractures offer seals access to both air and water. Polar bears are ready to mate when they are five or six years old. Male polar bears are much larger than the females. Adult females … With their small ears and tails and short legs, polar bears are adapted to … The mother feeds the babies milk, which makes them grow fast, and after 10 weeks, the cubs weigh about 20 to 25 pounds (9.1 to 11.4 kilograms). It has black skin under the white fur. Females first reproduce at four to eight years of age and breed every two to four years thereafter. They are strong and fast, and can run as fast as 25 miles (40 km) an hour for a short distance.[4][5]. The babies are born six weeks after their mother mates. Corrections? 1) Polar bears are found in the frozen wilds of the Arctic, in Canada, Alaska (US), Greenland, Russia and Norway. Model forecasts by the U.S. Geological Survey suggest that habitat loss may cause polar bear populations to decline by two-thirds by the year 2050. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. A Polar Bears skin, visible only on the nose and footpads, is black. Internationally, they are listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear which lives in the Arctic. The sharp claws help grip the ice. Young Polar bears stay with their mothers for 1–2 years, and they become mature when they are 5–6 years old. They spread out their legs and lay their bellies flat on the ice. After swimming for so long, the bear reached the ice far from land. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In May 2008 the U.S. government listed the polar bear as a threatened species. In 2015 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialist Group designated polar bears as a vulnerable species. The nose is broad and black. During the first year, the cubs begin to eat solid food but still nurse from their mother. The bears are hunted especially by Inuit people for their hides, tendons, fat, and flesh. Young remain with their mothers until they reach sexual maturity. The bear stalks seals resting on the ice, ambushes them near breathing holes, and digs young seals from snow shelters where they are born. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... See how a polar bear preys on a walrus in this video. 2) These are seriously big bears, gang. They are massive animals, and the only bear species larger than brown bears is polar bears.In fact, brown bears are closely related to polar bears, and share some of the same habitat. Laws have been passed in many areas of the world to protect bears from hunters and the destruction of their habitat. Therefore, they can absorb sunlight efficiently. It has black skin under the white fur. Polar bears are similar in size to a normal bear but have a slimmer neck, longer legs and fur. The babies are … The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear which lives in the Arctic. These rules help keep the polar bear population where its at today. Polar bears are listed under a variety of classifications depending on international, national, and regional regulations. Beneath all that thick fur, their skin is jet black. Polar bears live in the Arctic which is near the North Pole. Adult polar bears have no natural predators, though walruses and wolves can kill them. After a hunt, they held a celebration that lasted for several days. Due to the absence of human development in its remote habitat, it retains more of its original range than any other extant carnivore. Except for one subspecies of grizzly bear, the polar bear is the largest and most powerful carnivore on land. At birth, a baby cub weighs less than 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms). Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Finally, the bear's skull was set on an ice floe to release its spirit back into the Arctic. [3] It is also called white bear or northern bear. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Polar bears investigate the submarine USS Honolulu 450 kilometres (280 mi) from the North Pole The polar bear is found in the Arctic Circle and adjacent land masses as far south as Newfoundland Island. Description of the Polar Bear When you think of a polar bear, you think of thick, white fur. These bears are massive, with the largest ever recorded standing just over 11 ft. tall on its hind legs! They are about seven to eight feet long, measured from the nose to the tip of their very short tail. Strong, sharp claws are also important for gaining traction, for digging through ice, and for killing prey. It is also called white bear or northern bear. After 24 hours, people's skin began to peel off. They eat mostly seals and fish. They eat the ringed seal as well as the bearded seal and other pinnipeds. Both male and female polar bears live to be as much as 30 years old (in a zoo). The male, which is much larger than the female, weighs 410 to 720 kg (900 to 1,600 pounds). At the turn of the 21st century, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears existed in the wild. Polar bear facts for kids is a collection of some of the most amazing and interesting facts about polar bears.The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest terrestrial carnivore in the world. Polar bears are stocky, with a long neck, relatively small head, short, rounded ears, and a short tail. Wildscreen's Arkive project was launched in 2003 and grew to become the world's biggest encyclopaedia of life on Earth. A polar bear is a great white northern bear (family Ursidae) found throughout the Arctic region. Cubs weigh less than 1 kg at birth and are not weaned until after they are two years old. External Description. [4], As adults, male bears fight with each other over a female each male fluffs out his coat of fur to make himself look bigger. With the help of over 7,000 of the world’s best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, Arkive.org featured multi-media fact-files for more than 16,000 endangered species. Scientists have even seen a mother polar bear stand up and leap at a helicopter to keep it away from her cubs. Mother polar bears usually give birth to one to three cubs at a time. A polar bear might catch only one or two out of 10 seals it hunts, depending on the time of year and other variables. Polar bears are the largest carnivorous land mammals on Earth. Polar bear paws are ideal for roaming the Arctic. It has no natural predators and knows no fear of humans, making it an extremely dangerous animal. The skin is not white; it is black. It is the most carnivorous species of all bears. Then they come closer and touch noses. Polar bear is a big bear by any standards. The polar bear travels long distances over vast desolate expanses, generally on drifting oceanic ice floes, searching for seals, its primary prey. The broad feet have hairy soles to protect and insulate as well as to facilitate movement across ice, as does the uneven skin on the soles of the feet, which helps to prevent slipping. A polar bear's head is oblong and relatively small compared to body size. Sunlight can pass through the thick fur, its heat being absorbed by the bear’s black skin. The polar bear was the most dangerous animal to hunt. It has black skin under the white fur. Including the delay, gestation may last 195–265 days, and one to four cubs, usually two, are born during the winter in a den of ice or snow. Polar bears mate in April or May. Polar bears are solitary and overwhelmingly carnivorous, feeding especially on the ringed seal but also on the bearded seal and other pinnipeds. They also eat sea lions, walruses, reindeer, arctic hares, penguins, seagulls, small whales, lemmings, crabs and carrion. Males mature at about the same age as females but do not breed until a few years later. Paws:polar bear paws are perfect for roaming the Arctic. The cub leaves its mother in 2-3 years. For bears, height is usually measured at the shoulder when the animal is on all fours, according to Polar Bear International. Young polar bears may die of starvation or may be killed by adult males, and for this reason female polar bears are extremely defensive of their young when adult males are present. They live in very cold climates which is why they have thick, white fur to keep them warm. Then, he swaggers along, growling, to scare off his rival. A polar bear's paws are perfect snowshoes for them. Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) lives in the Arctic beyond the Arctic Circle in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia, and in the areas covered by sea ice around the North Pole.It does not hibernate during winter, and stays in areas with sea ice, which helps him to move from one place to another and hunting for seals, mainly ringed and bearded. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. When polar bears hunt, they often wait at holes in the ice, where the seals come up to breathe. Polar Bears have a thick fur coat either white or cream in colour, which helps them blend into their surroundings and stay hidden from prey although their black noses sometimes gives them away. Except for one subspecies of grizzly bear, the polar bear is the largest and most powerful carnivore on land. The Inuit gave thanks and respect in turn. No, polar bears are not an endangered species, but they are threatened. The polar bear or the sea/ice bear are the world's largest land predators. [30] Compared to brown bears, polar bears have an elongated body and face. The snow den is where the mother polar bear will give birth to her babies and where they spend the winters. Lengthwise, they are 7.25 to 8 feet (2.2 to 2.5 m) from head to rump. Because of continued global warming, a substantial reduction in the coverage of Arctic summer sea ice—prime habitat for polar bears—is expected by the middle of the 21st century. The Polar Bear is the largest of the bear species. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership - Now 30% off. In swimming the polar bear uses only its front limbs, an aquatic adaptation found in no other four-legged mammal. This page was last changed on 30 December 2020, at 02:18. They stand just over 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder and can reach a length of 8 feet (2.5 meters). [9], From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, This article is about the animal. Description. They are able to move easier in water though as they are very good swimmers. Each of these countries either banned hunting or established rules for how many polar bears could be … By the time they are two years old, the cubs have grown into large bears. Polar bear scientists call this "the cowboy walk." Models developed by some scientists predict an increase in polar bear starvation as a result of longer ice-free seasons and a decline in mating success, since sea-ice fragmentation could reduce encounter rates between males and females. Polar bear, (Ursus maritimus), also called white bear, sea bear, or ice bear, great white northern bear (family Ursidae) found throughout the Arctic region. Omissions? It one particular case, a polar bear was spotted swimming for 9 days at a stretch covering a distance of 687 kilometers across frigid Bering Sea. Young polar bears testing their strength. The bottoms are wide and covered with fur to help keep the bear from slipping. But they cannot live on their own. Adult females are smaller, normally weighing 150 to 290 kilograms (330 to 650 pounds). Polar bear is also called arctic bear or white bear. A polar bear learns the seasonal pattern of movements as a cub during the 2 years it remains with its mother (Stirling and Guravich 1990, p 68). 22. Under the skin is a layer of insulating fat. Polar bears are also the largest species of bear. Each hair on a polar bear is hollow, and the skin beneath its fur is black. They eat immediately after hibernating. Description. They are mostly carnivorous. Another adaptation is polar bears’ use of only their front limbs when swimming, which is found in no other four-legged mammal. Males weigh 900–1,600 pounds (410–720 kilograms). One important adaptation of polar bears to their unique climate is the transparency of their thick fur, which allows sunlight to pass through and reach their black skin, where heat from the sun is then absorbed. The bear spends more than half of its life in water which is why it is also called marine mammal. Polar bear fur is made up of a layer of dense underfur and an outer layer of "guard hairs", which appear white to tan but are actually translucent. The weight of an adult male is estimated at 1760 lbs (800 kg). Except for one subspecies of grizzly bear, the polar bear is the largest and most powerful carnivore on land. It is also called white bear or northern bear. Bears, however, lack the physiological characteristics (lower heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, and blood pressure) exhibited by animals that truly hibernate. They can kill a predator with just one swat of their powerful front paws. Description: A polar bear has an elongated body, with low, well-developed shoulders. [9] The symptoms included drowsiness, wanting to sleep, being irritable, headaches, and vomiting. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). Mother polar bears will do anything to protect their young. [7]. Polar bears live in countries in the Arctic Circle, including these: The breeding time is 8 months. It has no natural predators and knows no fear of humans, making it an extremely dangerous animal. Polar Bear Appearance. Brown bears are a large species of bear that ranges throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Although polar bear meat is consumed by aboriginals, the liver is inedible and often poisonous because of its high vitamin A content. While adult polar bears are perfectly insulated by the dense white fur, baby polar bears develop lighter furs in the initial days following the birth. [6] They are strong and can swim very well. Their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to survive. They begin to learn to hunt and swim. It was also greatly respected for its strength and spirit. Males are about 2.6 metres (8.5 feet) from head to tail. Polar bears are excellent swimmers and are capable of swimming for days without break. Then, a polar bear dance was held. Their tail adds another 3 to 5 in… Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The cub stays in the den with the mother until March, then, they all come out. A baby polar bear has fluffy white fur which protects the cub from extreme Arctic chill. The polar bear's liver contains a lot of vitamin A. Numerical changes to each population occurring between 1998 and 2013 are shown. This fauna, together with the vegetation that feeds the lemming, ptarmigan, and caribou, forms a tight ecological…. Polar bears are actually black, not white. 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