The Polar bear is the largest bear in the world. It is also the Arctic’s apex predator. The furry animal’s scientific name is Ursus Maritimus, meaning “sea bear.” The polar bear spends its life around the ocean perimeter, on top of the ice on the sea. It dives in the ocean to hunt for fish and seals.
The apex predator has transparent fur. According to Library of Congress, “The long, coarse guard hairs, which protect the plush thick undercoat, are hollow and transparent.” The colorless fur, when seen in light, reflects all seven colors, causing the polar bear’s coat to appear white. Polar bears use their coat to blend in with the ice, catching seals that don’t notice them.
Polar bears are considered talented swimmers and can swim at a sustained pace of six miles per hour–about as fast as a crocodile. Polar bears have a thick layer of fat called blubber that can help them withstand the cold. Polar bears also have a water-repellent coat. They have a fur with a texture similar to a Gore-Tex jacket, allowing the water to slide off.
Polar bears spend over half their life hunting for food. However, they might catch only about 1 to 2 seals out of ten, depending on the time of the year, weather, etc. Because of global warming, the ice caps around the sea are melting. This is causing polar bears to have a hard time hunting seals and fish, because they rely on the ice to locate a seal and dive in the ocean. In May 2008, polar bears were listed as a threatened species. With no ice to stay on, polar bears stick to the land more often when looking for food, being attracted to areas where humans live.
According to World Wide Fund (WWF), “In October 2019, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialist Group released a new assessment of polar bear populations showing that the number of polar bear subpopulations experiencing recent declines has increased to four, with eight populations still being data-deficient.”
The good news is that five populations are stable while two have been experiencing an increase in population.
Citations:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear
1) https://oneworldoneocean.com/blog/the-school-polar-bear-adaptations-for-extreme-cold https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/zoology/item/is-a-polar-bears-fur-transparent/#:~:text=Amstrup%2C%20USGS%20photographer%2C%20USGS%20Science,scatter%20light%20of%20all%20colors.
The apex predator has transparent fur. According to Library of Congress, “The long, coarse guard hairs, which protect the plush thick undercoat, are hollow and transparent.” The colorless fur, when seen in light, reflects all seven colors, causing the polar bear’s coat to appear white. Polar bears use their coat to blend in with the ice, catching seals that don’t notice them.
Polar bears are considered talented swimmers and can swim at a sustained pace of six miles per hour–about as fast as a crocodile. Polar bears have a thick layer of fat called blubber that can help them withstand the cold. Polar bears also have a water-repellent coat. They have a fur with a texture similar to a Gore-Tex jacket, allowing the water to slide off.
Polar bears spend over half their life hunting for food. However, they might catch only about 1 to 2 seals out of ten, depending on the time of the year, weather, etc. Because of global warming, the ice caps around the sea are melting. This is causing polar bears to have a hard time hunting seals and fish, because they rely on the ice to locate a seal and dive in the ocean. In May 2008, polar bears were listed as a threatened species. With no ice to stay on, polar bears stick to the land more often when looking for food, being attracted to areas where humans live.
According to World Wide Fund (WWF), “In October 2019, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialist Group released a new assessment of polar bear populations showing that the number of polar bear subpopulations experiencing recent declines has increased to four, with eight populations still being data-deficient.”
The good news is that five populations are stable while two have been experiencing an increase in population.
Citations:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear
1) https://oneworldoneocean.com/blog/the-school-polar-bear-adaptations-for-extreme-cold https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/zoology/item/is-a-polar-bears-fur-transparent/#:~:text=Amstrup%2C%20USGS%20photographer%2C%20USGS%20Science,scatter%20light%20of%20all%20colors.
