The polar bear is the world's largest carnivore found on land. It is native to the Arctic Ocean and the surrounding area. The adult male weighs 880 to 1,500 lbs and the female weighs about half of that. Polar bears are closely related to grizzly bears. Although they look quite different, they are descendants from a common ancestor. Their warm fur and a thick layer of blubber protect them from the cold. They can use their huge paws as snowshoes when they walk and as paddles when they swim.
Polar bear with two cubs.
Polar bear with two cubs.
Polar bears spend most of their lives on sea ice, because that is where their main source of food is found--seals. Their white or ivory colored fur gives them camouflage in the snow and ice. They don't need their camouflage to hide from predators, because they have no natural predators--just humans. Rather, the camouflage helps them hunt seals (especially ringed seals).
What do polar bears eat?
A polar bear's diet consists of seals primarily, but they eat a lot of other foods too. They sometimes catch swimming seabirds. They have even been known to kill beluga whales and walruses. Polar bears are not just carnivores (meat eaters). Even though they eat a lot of seals, they are omnivorous (they eat meat and plants). Polar bears have been known to dive for kelp. Also, in the summer when most of the sea ice has melted and the bears are forced onto land, they eat berries, grasses, and other plants. Occasionally they might eat a lemming or two, found running among the plants.
Lone polar bear on the sea ice.
Do Polar bears hibernate?
Polar bears can conserve energy by digging a hole in the snow and going to sleep when food is scarce. They can even slow down their metabolism. This sort of mini-hibernation can happen any time of year, whenever food is hard to find.
Female polar bears that are about to have cubs will go into a light hibernation for about 5 months. In the fall, these bears leave the sea ice and come to land. They will dig dens in the snow or dirt and stay there for a couple of months. Their hibernation is shallow compared to other creatures that experience greatly lowered body temperatures and heart rates. A hibernating polar bear's temperature and heart rate are just slightly below normal.
The mother polar bear will give birth to her cubs sometime in January. It is most common for her to have 2 cubs, but sometimes 1 or 3. Then, the cubs will nurse for a month or two before leaving the den.
Polar bear relaxing on the beach.
How are Hudson Bay polar bears unique?
The climate that the polar bears live in is much warmer than other parts of the Arctic, so the bears have found ways to adapt to this. First of all, the bears thrive in Hudson Bay, especially around Churchill. The sea ice melts much sooner in the summer on Hudson Bay, forcing the bears to come to land sooner. This means they lose their opportunity to hunt seals sooner than bears living farther north.
The warmer climate of Hudson Bay also means that the bears do not have enough snow for digging dens in the fall. Instead the bears dig holes in the earth, down to the permafrost. These dens can last a long time. In fact, people have been studying these dens for years, learning about what bears use which dens. Some dens have been in certain polar bear families for generations!
When a bear is in a den, its body heat actually melts the permafrost a little bit, making the den bigger. As dens are used year after year, they get deeper and deeper, so we can tell how old a den is, based on how deep it is.
How has global climate change affected polar bears?
The threat to polar bears caused by global climate change is malnutrition and starvation due to a loss of habitat. Since the bears need sea ice to hunt seals, as temperatures rise and sea ice melts earlier in the year, the bears are forced onto land sooner. They may still be able to eat berries, plants, and lemmings, but they depend on seals for their fat reserves.
The effects of global climate change are most noticeable in the southern part of the polar bear's range (Hudson Bay!), because of more extreme changes in the air temperature and sea ice break-up. Recently, the sea ice in Hudson Bay has been breaking up three weeks sooner than it did 30 years ago. This means that the bears had less time to eat seals. This has led to a decrease in the body weight of individual bears. It has also led to a decline in the polar bear population of Hudson Bay.
On May 14, 2008 the U.S. Department of the Interior listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, stating that the melting of Arctic sea ice is the main threat to the polar bear.
Links about polar bears:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear
http://www.nwf.org/polarbear/
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=418
What do polar bears eat?
A polar bear's diet consists of seals primarily, but they eat a lot of other foods too. They sometimes catch swimming seabirds. They have even been known to kill beluga whales and walruses. Polar bears are not just carnivores (meat eaters). Even though they eat a lot of seals, they are omnivorous (they eat meat and plants). Polar bears have been known to dive for kelp. Also, in the summer when most of the sea ice has melted and the bears are forced onto land, they eat berries, grasses, and other plants. Occasionally they might eat a lemming or two, found running among the plants.
Lone polar bear on the sea ice.
Do Polar bears hibernate?
Polar bears can conserve energy by digging a hole in the snow and going to sleep when food is scarce. They can even slow down their metabolism. This sort of mini-hibernation can happen any time of year, whenever food is hard to find.
Female polar bears that are about to have cubs will go into a light hibernation for about 5 months. In the fall, these bears leave the sea ice and come to land. They will dig dens in the snow or dirt and stay there for a couple of months. Their hibernation is shallow compared to other creatures that experience greatly lowered body temperatures and heart rates. A hibernating polar bear's temperature and heart rate are just slightly below normal.
The mother polar bear will give birth to her cubs sometime in January. It is most common for her to have 2 cubs, but sometimes 1 or 3. Then, the cubs will nurse for a month or two before leaving the den.
Polar bear relaxing on the beach.
How are Hudson Bay polar bears unique?
The climate that the polar bears live in is much warmer than other parts of the Arctic, so the bears have found ways to adapt to this. First of all, the bears thrive in Hudson Bay, especially around Churchill. The sea ice melts much sooner in the summer on Hudson Bay, forcing the bears to come to land sooner. This means they lose their opportunity to hunt seals sooner than bears living farther north.
The warmer climate of Hudson Bay also means that the bears do not have enough snow for digging dens in the fall. Instead the bears dig holes in the earth, down to the permafrost. These dens can last a long time. In fact, people have been studying these dens for years, learning about what bears use which dens. Some dens have been in certain polar bear families for generations!
When a bear is in a den, its body heat actually melts the permafrost a little bit, making the den bigger. As dens are used year after year, they get deeper and deeper, so we can tell how old a den is, based on how deep it is.
How has global climate change affected polar bears?
The threat to polar bears caused by global climate change is malnutrition and starvation due to a loss of habitat. Since the bears need sea ice to hunt seals, as temperatures rise and sea ice melts earlier in the year, the bears are forced onto land sooner. They may still be able to eat berries, plants, and lemmings, but they depend on seals for their fat reserves.
The effects of global climate change are most noticeable in the southern part of the polar bear's range (Hudson Bay!), because of more extreme changes in the air temperature and sea ice break-up. Recently, the sea ice in Hudson Bay has been breaking up three weeks sooner than it did 30 years ago. This means that the bears had less time to eat seals. This has led to a decrease in the body weight of individual bears. It has also led to a decline in the polar bear population of Hudson Bay.
On May 14, 2008 the U.S. Department of the Interior listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, stating that the melting of Arctic sea ice is the main threat to the polar bear.
Links about polar bears:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear
http://www.nwf.org/polarbear/
http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=418
We really, need to step it up to help perserve this creatures habitat, so we can perserve the polar bear. Because i would want the next generation to see this wonderous creature. I support what you guys do and i love it sooo much.thank you for inspiring me and many others. (i understand i got off topic but o well=])
They look so fluffy.
They are amazing creatures.
Their fur is so white.
polar bears must so cool to see!how many polar bears have you seen? Make sure to up date more animals please!
this stuff is quite interesting and i wish i could be you. i just want to get in touch with u so i could do it.
they look scary. I think a polar bear could beat a
Grizzly bear in a fight.
polar bears are so interesting. I love reading about them.
I really want my kids to see polar bears. I don't want to be the last generation to see them. I hope that people will realize that these animals are worth keeping alive.
Hello team, you guys are doing a great job. I have one question though. What would you have to do if a polar bear ever came near your campsite? Again, great job guys. Keep it up!
are polar bears nice
This looks cool
you guy are really finding alot of imformation on polar bears I hope you find a way to save them and bring back a picture.
Our computer class is checking up on this website every day. So keep us intrested. So far u r doing a good job. And we would like to learn more about the gray wolf and the polar bear.