Polar Bear
by Nathan Seo
Description
- Carnivore
- Mammal
- Covered in fur
- Male: 410kg female: 320kg
- Twins are most common; occasionally singlets and triplets
Habitat
- Arctic region
- Main habitat is on offshore pack ice
- When summer, polar bears travel miles to remain on ice
- Long cold winters
- Short mild summers
Adaptations
- Thick claws
- Tough teeth
- Skin under fur is black
- Small rounded ears
- Thick layer of fat under skin
- Small body parts to prevent heat loss
- Good at swimming
Food Chain
- Top of the food chain in the Arctic
- Seals are their primary food
- Also eat walrus, birds, bird eggs, beached whales, and even kelp
- The only thing that can beat a polar bear is another polar bear
Reason for Endangerment
- Industrial impact
- Global warming
- Pollution
- Slow reproduction rate
- Hunting; may not be a problem if regulated
Critical Information
- 2/3 of polar bears can disappear by mid-century
- In 2005, polar bears were classified as vulnerable
- In 2008, polar bears were classified as endangered
- Rapid loss of sea ice is their major threat
Most of this information came from parenthetical reference: EPB
work cited
"Polar Bear." National Geographic. Web. 30 May 2012.<http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/polar-bear/>. (NG)
"Polar Bear." Polar Bear. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://endangeredpolarbear.com/>. (EPB)
"Polar Bears International." Polar Bears International - Polar Bear Research - Polar Bear Education. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/>. (PBI)