Polar Bear Facts

Polar bears have been in existence for over 200,000 years now, and have known to be several times larger, than they now are. It is believed that they have descended from brown bears, who were separated due to some glaciers near Siberia. In order to adapt to these conditions, their bodies underwent evolutionary changes, and they finally became as they are today. Now, the polar bear habitat comprises only the Arctic region in the circumpolar north. Presented here, are several such intriguing facts about polar bears.

Physical Characteristics

• While polar bears have a huge and round lower body, their upper bodies are narrow, and they have long, pointed, Roman noses. These help them prod into holes to get hold of their prey.
• They have a 4.5 inch thick layer of blubber, two layers of fur, small ears, and a smaller tail. All these help a polar bear survive even in the most extreme weather conditions.
• Polar bears are known to be the largest predators in the world.
• While the weight of male polar bears ranges from 775-1500 pounds, that of females ranges only from 330-550 pounds.
• Contrary to popular belief, a polar bear does not have white fur. It just appears white. The fur covers and insulated undercoat with different lengths of hair. The hair is actually transparent, and has a hollow core, that reflects natural light. Thus, they appear the whitest between the onset of spring right up to the end of summer.
• In some cases, polar bears appear yellow. This is because of the oils contained in the seals they primarily feast on.
• A very interesting fact that kids will enjoy is that due to the ability of polar bears' hair to reflect light, when placed in a zoo, a polar bear once turned green. This was because of the prevalence of colonies of algae around. However, no harm was caused to the polar bears.
• The inner coat of a polar bear is black, and helps it absorb sunlight to keep itself warm in the cold conditions that it lives in.
• Polar bears have paws that are as big as 12 inches, which helps them safely tread on ice. These paws help them distribute their weight evenly, as they bend very low in order to tread on very thin ice.
• Each paw has a black footpad which is covered with bumps called papillae. Also, they have fur growing even between their toes. These acts as grips and prevent them from slipping on ice.
• More help to tread on ice is provided by their long claws which are thick and curved, and are as long as 2 inches. These also help them to get hold on their prey.

Diet

• Polar bears have a very keen sense of smell that help them in tracking their prey.
• Their favorite meal is that of a ringed seal, that appears out of the water every fifteen minutes to catch a breath. Taking advantage of this habit of theirs, polar bears stalk them, and when the seals come out, they pounce on them and tear into their flesh, killing them in an instant.
• Sometimes when the seals lay on ice, the bears stalk them slowly, using their low treading methods. The polar bears then pounce on the seals from a distance of 20 feet, killing them instantly, before they can escape back into the water.
• Sometimes, whales get stuck in the small holes in the ice layer that covers the sea. These also make a great meal for the polar bear.
• Polar bears heavily depend on ice to catch their prey. As such, during summer, they begin to appear lean, as it is not so easy for them to hunt in open waters. However, they survive during this time by lowering their metabolic rate, so that they do not expend too much energy, and bring it back to normal when their prey is easily available.

Other Facts

• Polar bears walk at a speed of about 5-6 kilometers an hour, while the female polar bears with cubs walk at about 2-4 kilometers per hour.
• Polar bears are known to walk slowly, though they have the capacity to cover distances by galloping like horses. However they prefer to walk as they tend to overheat easily.
• They can run at a speed of almost 40 kilometers per hour, but only for a short distance. However, younger bears can run for up to 2 kilometers without stopping, while the older ones tend to tire easily.
• During summer, polar bears sleep for longer hours, as they are able to find their prey more easily at night. Seals are known to be active at night.
• Particularly after a meal, polar bears take a nap. They sleep as much as they can, in order to conserve energy, which helps them during lean periods where prey is not easily available.
• Polar bears have the capacity to sleep through blizzards. They dig pits in the ground, and allow the snow to cover them, and in fact, use it as a blanket.
• In summer, they tend to sleep on blocks of ice.
• Pregnant polar bears are known to dig maternity dens, where they retreat to during fall, and give birth to cubs in winter. They sleep all the way through winter until spring, when they finally emerge from the den.
• A polar bear can bear about 2-3 cubs at a time, who live with their mothers for about 2 ½ years, after which they go out to fend for themselves.
• An interesting fact about polar bears is that they do not hibernate. They may sleep for days, but do not enter a state of deep hibernation.

Polar bears are not intimidated by human beings, because of the powerful predators that they are. As such, they may prove dangerous if they happen to find themselves near human settlements. After reading so many facts about polar bears it is saddening to know that they are now a threatened species as global warming affects their habitat. Also, hunting is one of the reasons for their reducing numbers. These ought to be checked so that this fascinating animal species continues to grow and evolve.