Polar bears number in the first five most popular animals with zoo visitors. Polar bears are extremely large animals. You can unsubscribe at any time. They mainly eat seals… Although polar bears appear white to the eye, their fur is actually transparent. Pregnant females can weigh as much as 500 kg (1,100 lb). Bears … Polar bears are not actually white rather they have hollow hairs covering their body which reflects in light resulting in white color. But the largest polar bear ever recorded weighed in at 2,210 pounds—which is more than a metric ton. Polar bears in the wild can live up to 30 years. Bears are large dog like mammals found all around the world. Strong, sharp claws are also important for gaining traction, for digging through ice, and for killing prey. A polar bear’s liver is so rich in Vitamin A that it may be poisonous to human being if consumed. The scientific name for the polar bear is ‘ursus maritimus’. Although polar bears are one of the largest land carnivores in the world yet baby polar bears are only the size of a ground squirrel when they are born. Residents of Churchill, Canada, leave their cars unlocked to offer an escape for pedestrians who might encounter polar bears. The biggest threat to polar bears today is not hunting but the effects of global warming and pollution. Humans can’t handle that much vitamin A. They can detect their prey from 32 km (20 mi) away and can smell a seal’s breathing hole in the ice more than 800 meters (0.5 mile) away. After feeding polar bears usually wash by taking a swim or rolling in the snow. View our Cookie Policy for more information, Sign up to get the latest WWF news delivered straight to your inbox. This makes them even bigger than Siberian tigers. Their scientific name Ursus maritimus means “maritime bear” and derives from this fact. - Source 2. Once it has found the hole, the bear will wait patiently until the seal comes up for air to attack. What are Interesting Facts about Polar Bears? Let's take a look at these amazing polar bear cubs facts. Polar Bear Facts for Kids Adult bears weigh as much as 772–1,543 pounds. Polar Bears have an excellent sense of smell. National Polar Bear Day: 20 Interesting Facts About Polar Bears. While climate change remains the greatest threat to the polar bear’s survival, that is not all that the predator is up against. Polar bears can reach speeds up to 40 kph (25 mph) on land and 10 kph … A female polar bear will have an average of five litters of cubs in her lifetime. Polar Bear Facts: 10 Interesting Facts about Polar Bears. They may scavenge to avoid starving, or they may fast until ice forms again. Polar bears are solitary and overwhelmingly carnivorous, feeding especially on the ringed seal but also on the bearded seal and other pinnipeds. As recently as 2006 genetic testing confirmed the existence of polar bear-grizzly bear hybrids, also known as ‘grolar bears’ or ‘pizzly bears’. Polar bears are the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore. Although about half of a polar bear’s life is spent hunting for food, their hunts are rarely successful. Young Polar bears stay with their mothers for 1–2 years, and they become mature when they are 5–6 years old. 4 Polar Bear Spotting Is A Real Occupation. Built to stay warm in their cold habitat, polar bears sometimes overheat and have to cool off in the chilly water. The world’s oldest polar bear, orphaned as a cub in the cold Russian north and raised in captivity, has died aged 42. WWF is working with researchers to track polar bears in the Arctic to understand the impact that climate change and other threats are having on them as well as helping to monitor their health.Â, We’re also advocating for governments to recognise and mitigate the effects of a changing Arctic on these bears.Â. They clean their bodies by rolling in the snow. The ability for polar bears and grizzly bears to interbreed is unsurprising when you consider that polar bears evolved from brown bears as recently as 150,000 years ago! 1) Polar bears are found in the frozen wilds of the Arctic, in Canada, Alaska (US), Greenland, Russia and Norway. Under their fur, polar bear skin is actually black. Of these just 1 subpopulation is increasing, 5 are stable and 4 are in decline. Polar bears (or Ursus Maritimus – to give them their posh Latin name) can be found pretty much anywhere inside the Arctic Circle – Canada, Russia, Greenland etc, and are the largest living land carnivore with males coming in at 400-600kg and females at 200-300kg. On average, their heights are an incredible 8.5 feet (males) and 6.5 feet (females). Mother and cubs emerge from their den in late March or April. 9 They don't hibernate like other bears. Polar bear cubs learn to freeze and remain still while their mother hunts. There are eight species of bear: American black bear, Asiatic black bear, brown bear, giant panda bear, polar bear, spectacled bear, sloth bear and sun bear. Male polar bears can weigh up to 800kg, and are twice the size of females. However they will grow pretty fast in the first couple of months. Mating take place on the sea ice in April and May, when polar bears congregate in the best seal hunting areas. Tired of your usual 9-to-5? 9. Polar bears have 42 teeth. Here are a few more facts about the Polar … These bears often hunt with little success. Melting sea ice from climate change has increased human-polar bear conflicts when hungry polar bears go searching for food in the summer. Polar bears are excellent swimmers. Polar bears keep warm thanks to nearly 10 cm of blubber under the skin. They have a nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, that allows them to see underwater and protects their eyes in blowing snow. Adult polar bears can measure over 2.5m long and weigh around 680kg. — than to share some I-never-knew-that facts about the Arctic-roaming creatures.. Because they spend most of their lives on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean depending on the ocean for their food and habitat, polar bears are the only bear species to be considered marine mammals. The oldest known polar bear in the Arctic lived 32 years. When not hunting, polar bears are resting, perhaps as much as 20 hours a day. Polar bears can see well underwater, spotting potential meals 4.5 meters (15 feet) away. Under the skin is a layer of insulating fat. One of the most interesting facts about polar bears is that they like to keep themselves clean, so when they get dirty, they roll in the snow or take a swim. If you eat a polar bear liver, you’ll die. Polar bears also have a thick layer of fat. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population is only 20,000-25,000 of polar bears in the world. Then you might want to occasionally check the government of Svalbard’s online job board. They can even detect a seal in the water beneath a metre of compacted snow. Female polar bears weigh about 150 to 250 kg (330 to 550 lb) and are about 1.8 to 2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft) long. One of the surprising facts about polar bear is that the polar bear is related to the brown bear. Polar bears were separated from brown bears … Polar bears are black with clear fur, so in daylight, they appear white; at night, they are invisible. Polar bears normally live alone. 2. Unlike brown bears and black bears, polar bears do not hibernate, and only pregnant females over-winter in dens. Polar bears are not actually white in colour but rather have clear hollow hairs covering their bodies. Because they spend most of their lives on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean depending on the ocean for their food and habitat, polar bears are the only bear species to be considered marine mammals. Sign up to be kept informed about our conservation work and how you can help such as fundraising, campaigning and events. Fortunately, people are learning to adapt to the polar bear's presence and take preventative measures to reduce the risk of conflict. Males weigh 849 to 904 pounds while females averaging 331–551 pounds. Polar bear has no natural predators and knows no fear of humans, making it an extremely dangerous animal. By Tanya Lewis 27 February 2014. We need your help to give rangers the strength and safety they need, and to tackle poaching and demand for products like ivory. Polar bears are stocky, with a long neck, relatively small head, short, rounded ears, and a short tail. The polar bear is the newest of the eight bear species. We use cookies to analyse how visitors use our website and to help us provide the best possible experience for users. No way, you say. Adopt an animal today and help protect some of our most endangered wildlife and support other vital work around our planet. Polar bears spend over half their life hunting. They can get overheated. Two tiny scoops of snow from a polar bear track revealed not just the DNA of the polar bear that made it, but even from a seal it had recently eaten. Polar bears live alone. Pregnant females can … Canada considers polar bears a species of special concern under the National Species at Risk Act. Their preferred habitat is the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean. The remaining 9 have not been assessed as they are data deficient – we simply don’t have enough information about them to know how they’re doing. In some places, these bears have learned to eat at garbage dumps. They offer some pretty interesting employment opportunities, such as the position of polar bear spotter.. We have managed to gather some of the most amazing 21 facts about polar bears. Female polar bears weigh about 150 to 250 kg (330 to 550 lb) and are about 1.8 to 2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft) long. Polar bears typically weigh between 900 and 1,500 pounds, according to the Library of Congress. The total population of approximately 26,000 wild polar bears are divided into 19 units or subpopulations. By Treye Green @TreyeGreen 02/27/14 AT 1:14 AM. The ice edge and pressure ridges where fractures and refreezing occur provide the best hunting ground. As well as reaching speeds of up to 6mph in the water, polar bears can swim for long distances and steadily for many hours to get from one piece of ice to another. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice. People think Polar bears can become 25–30 years old in nature, but in captivity … Polar bear blubber can be up to 4 inches, or 10 … If a polar bear doesn’t eat for seven to ten days, it can slow its metabolism until it finds its next meal. We know from our polar bear facts that polar bears have a thick layer of hair near their skin. Some black bears are born white and are called Spirit Bears. Because of expected habitat loss caused by climate change, the polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Amazing Facts About the Polar Bear. In captivity sometimes they turn green when algae grow in the … Polar bears can also be exposed to toxic chemicals such as pesticides through their prey, which can affect a bear's biological functioning and ability to reproduce. An adult male ranges from 7.9 to 9.8 feet in length and weighs 770 to 1500 pounds. Here are five interesting facts about them: Polar bears are the largest living land carnivore, with adult males growing up to 2.6 metres in length. 3. Their fur isn’t strictly white, it’s actually transparent. Interesting facts about northern goshawks, Interesting facts about Fiordland penguins, Interesting facts about Yorkshire Terriers. 1-5 Bear Facts 1. They also scavenge on carcasses of beluga whales, walruses, narwhals, and bowhead whales. They can reach a total length of 9 feet 10 inches. If they move, the mother disciples them, with a whack to the head. 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