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Polar Bear

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The polar bear is native to the Arctic Ocean but the polar bear is thought to be a sub-species of the brown bear. The polar bears scientific name is thought to mean sea bear, probably due to the fact that polar bear often spends long periods of time hunting in or on the freezing Arctic waters.

The polar bear is one of the largest mammals on land with adult males often reaching over 800kg. The polar bear is the largest species of bear, with only a few grizzly bear males getting bigger than the average adult polar bear and these individuals are often polar-grizzly bear hybrids.

Most of the polar bears diet is comprised of seal, meaning the bears spend a lot of time on the frozen sea hunting the seal which is risky work especially when the ice begins to melt. The polar bear also eats fish but they are not as easy to spot (or catch) as a seal for a polar bear.

The polar bears are often forced to swim for long distances in search of food, but tend to corner their prey towards the more frozen ice, as its easier for the polar bear to hunt on solid ground than it is for the polar bear to hunt in water, particularly as the seal is such a good swimmer.

Despite its bright white appearance, the fur of a polar bear is in fact clear and not white as it may seem. The polar bear has black skin under its long, thick coat of fur that together with the white from the surrounding snow, creates the illusion of a white coat!

Every year, the polar bear population is decreasing due to a mixture of hunting by humans and the ongoing effects of climate change. As the planet continues to get warmer, the sea ice is thawing earlier which means that the polar bear hunting season is getting shorter and shorter. Those human settlements within the Arctic Circle are seeing more polar bears every year as the polar bears are forced to make their way towards what they believe to be food. Many polar bears end up being shot when they venture close to towns although some areas are now taking measures to transport the polar bears away using helicopter rather than killing them.

Scientists have estimated that if climate change continues to have such a drastic effect on the polar bear's habitat, then the polar bear could be extinct within the next 30 years.

Polar Bear Comments (8)

davis

"polar bears are awesome "

Anonymous

"i really luv polar bears because there playful luvable an genatle"

Breanna

"i love polar bears"

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Polar Bear Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Mammalia
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Carnivora
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Ursidae
Genus: A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....	Ursus

Scientific Name:	Ursus Maritimus
Type:	Mammal
Diet:	Carnivore
Size (H):	2.1m - 3.3m (7ft - 11ft)
Weight:	300kg - 450kg (660lbs - 990lbs)
Top Speed:	40km/h (25mph)
Life Span:	20 - 30 years
Lifestyle:	Solitary
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Endangered

Colour:	White, Grey
Skin Type:	Fur
Favourite Food:	Seal
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Mountainous regions in thick ice
Average Litter Size:	2
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Seal, Fish, Walrus
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Human
Distinctive Features:	Transparent fur with black skin underneath

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