Polar Bear Classification and Evolution
The Polar Bear is a large species of bear that is found inhabiting the ice fields in the Arctic Ocean. It is the biggest species of bear in the world (with the exception of the Kodiak Brown Bears found in Alaska which can reach similar sizes) with males often weighing-in at around 600kg. Thought to be closely related to the Brown Bear, the Polar Bears' name actually means "Sea Bear" as they are known to not just spend a great deal of time close to the coast, but are also strong and capable swimmers that have been spotted up to 100 miles from the closest ice or land. They are however being devastatingly affected by global warming as the ice that they rely so heavily on is disappearing fast and has led …show more content…
Females though are much lighter than their male counterparts that are almost double their weight. Polar Bears are one of the few large mammals found in such hostile conditions and have adapted well to their life on the ice. Their fur is thick and dense and is made up of a warm undercoat with longer guard hairs on top that are clear, hollow tubes that trap warmth from the sun and transmit it directly down to their black skin, which then absorbs the welcome heat. The Polar Bear has a strong and muscular body with broad front paws that help when paddling in the water, and fur on the bottom of it's feet that not only helps to keep them warm but also gives the Polar Bear extra grip when moving about on the ice. They have very long necks in comparison to other bear species which enables their head to remain above the water when swimming. They also have more elongated muzzles and smaller ears than their …show more content…
The skins and blubber of Ringed Seals make up the bulk of the Polar Bears' diet as they often leave the remaining meat which provides an important sources of food for other animals such as Arctic Foxes. Although Seals are their primary source of food, Polar Bears also eat birds, berries, fish and Reindeer (particularly during the trickier summer months) along with the occasional Walrus. The carcasses from large marine mammals including Seals, Walruses and even Whales also provide a regular food source for Polar Bears that are said to have such a good sense of smell, that they are able to sniff them out from a considerable distance away. Polar Bears are also known to break into underground Seal dens to hunt the pups inside
The Polar Bear is a large species of bear that is found inhabiting the ice fields in the Arctic Ocean. It is the biggest species of bear in the world (with the exception of the Kodiak Brown Bears found in Alaska which can reach similar sizes) with males often weighing-in at around 600kg. Thought to be closely related to the Brown Bear, the Polar Bears' name actually means "Sea Bear" as they are known to not just spend a great deal of time close to the coast, but are also strong and capable swimmers that have been spotted up to 100 miles from the closest ice or land. They are however being devastatingly affected by global warming as the ice that they rely so heavily on is disappearing fast and has led …show more content…
Females though are much lighter than their male counterparts that are almost double their weight. Polar Bears are one of the few large mammals found in such hostile conditions and have adapted well to their life on the ice. Their fur is thick and dense and is made up of a warm undercoat with longer guard hairs on top that are clear, hollow tubes that trap warmth from the sun and transmit it directly down to their black skin, which then absorbs the welcome heat. The Polar Bear has a strong and muscular body with broad front paws that help when paddling in the water, and fur on the bottom of it's feet that not only helps to keep them warm but also gives the Polar Bear extra grip when moving about on the ice. They have very long necks in comparison to other bear species which enables their head to remain above the water when swimming. They also have more elongated muzzles and smaller ears than their …show more content…
The skins and blubber of Ringed Seals make up the bulk of the Polar Bears' diet as they often leave the remaining meat which provides an important sources of food for other animals such as Arctic Foxes. Although Seals are their primary source of food, Polar Bears also eat birds, berries, fish and Reindeer (particularly during the trickier summer months) along with the occasional Walrus. The carcasses from large marine mammals including Seals, Walruses and even Whales also provide a regular food source for Polar Bears that are said to have such a good sense of smell, that they are able to sniff them out from a considerable distance away. Polar Bears are also known to break into underground Seal dens to hunt the pups inside