Polar Bears

Polar BearsPolar Bears

Joseph VichichJoseph Vichich


The polar The polar bear or the bear or the sea/ice bear sea/ice bear are the are the world's world's largest land largest land predatorspredators

Where the Polar Bears are?Where the Polar Bears are? They can be found in the They can be found in the

Artic, the U.S. (Alaska), Artic, the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Canada, Russia, Denmark (Greenland), Denmark (Greenland), and Norway.and Norway.

Each of these countries Each of these countries either banned hunting or either banned hunting or established rules for established rules for how many polar bears how many polar bears could be hunted within could be hunted within its own boundaries. its own boundaries. These rules help keep These rules help keep polar bear populations polar bear populations stable. stable.


Around the age of four or five the female polar Around the age of four or five the female polar bear can start having babies. They usually only bear can start having babies. They usually only have two cubs and they have these babies in a have two cubs and they have these babies in a cave they've dug in a large snow drift. They stay cave they've dug in a large snow drift. They stay there over winter and come out in spring with the there over winter and come out in spring with the babies.babies.


Male polar bears Male polar bears may grow 10 feet may grow 10 feet tall and weigh over tall and weigh over 1400 pounds. 1400 pounds. Females reach Females reach seven feet and seven feet and weigh 650 pounds. weigh 650 pounds. In the wild polar In the wild polar bears live up to bears live up to age 25.age 25.


Despite what we think, a polar bear's fur is not Despite what we think, a polar bear's fur is not white. Each hair is clear hollow tube. Polar bears white. Each hair is clear hollow tube. Polar bears look white because each hollow hair reflects the look white because each hollow hair reflects the light. On sunny days, it traps the sun's infrared light. On sunny days, it traps the sun's infrared heat and keeps the bear warm at 98 degrees F heat and keeps the bear warm at 98 degrees F (when they're resting).(when they're resting).


Polar bear fur is Polar bear fur is oily and water oily and water repellent. The hairs repellent. The hairs don't mat when don't mat when wet, allowing the wet, allowing the polar bears to polar bears to easily shake free of easily shake free of water and any ice water and any ice that may form that may form after swimming.after swimming.


Polar bears have been Polar bears have been known to swim 100 known to swim 100 miles (161 kilometers) miles (161 kilometers) at a stretch.at a stretch.

Polar bears have wide front paws with slightly Polar bears have wide front paws with slightly webbed toes that help them swim.† They webbed toes that help them swim.† They paddle with their front feet and steer with paddle with their front feet and steer with their hind feet.† Paw pads with rough surfaces their hind feet.† Paw pads with rough surfaces help prevent polar bears from slipping up on help prevent polar bears from slipping up on the ice.the ice.


Polar bears primarily Polar bears primarily eat seals. They often eat seals. They often rest silently at a seal’s rest silently at a seal’s breathing hole in the breathing hole in the ice, waiting for a seal ice, waiting for a seal in the water to in the water to surface.surface.

Once the seal comes Once the seal comes up, the bear will up, the bear will spring and sink its spring and sink its jagged teeth into the jagged teeth into the seal’s head.seal’s head.


Sometimes the polar Sometimes the polar bear stalks its prey. It bear stalks its prey. It may see a seal lying may see a seal lying near its breathing hole near its breathing hole and slowly move and slowly move toward it, then charge toward it, then charge it, biting its head or it, biting its head or grabbing it with its grabbing it with its massive claws. A polar massive claws. A polar bear may also hunt by bear may also hunt by swimming beneath swimming beneath the ice.the ice.

Polar Bear VideoPolar Bear Video

http://http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Animals/CreatureFeature/Polar-Animals/CreatureFeature/Polar-bearbear

Works CitedWorks Cited

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Polar-bearAnimals/CreatureFeature/Polar-bear

http://www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/http://www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/polar_bear.htmpolar_bear.htm

Pictures From http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/imhttp://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=polar+bears&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-ages?p=polar+bears&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=22&ni=21701&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=22&ni=21

Polar Bears

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