Polar bears are amazing creatures that live in the cold Arctic. They are specially designed to survive in one of the toughest places on Earth. Let’s explore their unique features, how they live, what they eat, and the challenges they face because of climate change.
Polar bears have special fur and fat to keep them warm. Their fur has two layers: a thick undercoat and longer hairs that trap heat. Even though their fur looks white, it’s actually clear and reflects light like snow. Underneath, their skin is black, which helps them soak up warmth from the sun.
They also have a thick layer of fat called blubber, which can be over 11 centimeters thick. This blubber is very important for staying warm, especially when they swim in icy water. While wet fur doesn’t keep them warm, the blubber does a great job of protecting them from the cold.
Polar bears have small, round ears and short tails to keep heat in. Their big paws, about 30 centimeters wide, help them walk on ice. These paws are slightly webbed and have tiny bumps called papillae that help them grip slippery surfaces.
Polar bears are the largest meat-eating animals on land. They can grow up to 2.5 meters long and weigh between 350 to 700 kilograms. Even though they are big, they can run fast, reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour. But they can’t run fast for long because they might get too hot.
Polar bears mainly eat seals, which are full of fat and very important for their diet. They are great swimmers and can travel long distances in the water, sometimes over 100 kilometers from land. They often use their white fur to blend in with the ice, sneaking up on their prey.
Besides seals, they might eat other sea animals like whales and walruses, and sometimes land animals like caribou and birds. Hunting on land is harder because running can make them too hot.
Polar bears usually live alone, except when they mate or raise cubs. Mating happens in April and May. Pregnant females eat a lot in the summer to build up fat. In the fall, they make a den, like a small snow cave, where they rest until their cubs are born.
Cubs are born in December, usually in pairs. They are blind, toothless, and have short fur, relying on their mom for food. The mother stays with them in the den until March or April, not eating or drinking, just caring for her cubs.
When the cubs are ready, they leave the den, and the mother teaches them how to survive, including hunting and swimming, for the next two to three years.
Polar bears are considered marine mammals because they spend most of their time on Arctic sea ice. They live in areas across five countries: the United States (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway’s Svalbard. About 60% of the world’s polar bears live in Canada.
The Arctic has long, cold winters and short, cool summers, with temperatures dropping below -50 degrees Celsius in winter. The sea ice is crucial for hunting seals and is vital for their survival.
Climate change is a big problem for polar bears because it’s causing the Arctic ice to melt quickly. With less ice, it’s harder for them to find food and move around. It’s important to help protect polar bears and their environment to ensure they can survive in the future.
Polar bears are incredible animals, perfectly suited for their icy home. Their special features, hunting skills, and ways of raising cubs make them fascinating to learn about. But climate change is a serious threat to their survival. We need to understand and protect these amazing creatures to keep them and the Arctic healthy.
Polar Bear Observation Journal: Create a journal to observe and record the weather and temperature each day for a week. Discuss how these conditions might affect a polar bear’s daily life. Draw pictures of what you think a polar bear would do in different weather conditions. Share your observations with your class and discuss how climate change might impact polar bears’ ability to find food and stay warm.
Build a Blubber Glove: Experience how blubber keeps polar bears warm by making a “blubber glove.” Fill a ziplock bag with shortening and seal it. Place another ziplock bag inside the first one to create a glove. Put your hand inside the glove and dip it into a bowl of ice water. Notice how your hand stays warm! Discuss how this experiment relates to the blubber that polar bears have and why it’s important for their survival.
Polar Bear Diet Role-Play: Pretend to be a polar bear hunting for food. Use a large sheet of white paper or a white blanket to represent the ice. Hide small toys or objects under the “ice” to represent seals. Try to find and “catch” the seals without being seen. Discuss how polar bears use their white fur to blend in with the ice and why this is important for hunting.
