Polar Bears Cecilia Mak Jacqueline Wong Raymond Yang Helen Li Period 3, Life Science MS. KWON

Classification  KINGDOM: Animalia  PHYLUM: Chordata  CLASS: Mammalia  ORDER: Carnivora  FAMILY: Ursidae  GENUS SPECIES: Ursus (bear) Maritimus (sea)

Physical Characteristics  Male polar bears weigh about 350 to more than 650 kg while females weigh about 150 to 250 kg  Have more slender bodies and longer necks/heads than other bears  Hind limbs are longer than forelimbs  Have long claws for tearing apart prey  Have large, furry feet for walking on snow and ice  Skin is black which enables bear to absorb sunlight energy to warm its body.

Behavioral Characteristics  Most active the first third of the day and least active the rest of the day  Sleeps and rests when not hunting  Mothers frequently touch and groom cubs  Mothers frequently touch and groom cubs  Mates several times  Mates several times  Aggression occurs during breeding season and when food is stolen  Play fighting can leave scars and broken teeth

Food Source  Eat mainly seals  Also eat reindeer, fish, small rodents, ducks, eggs, and birds  Hunt for food  Need 2 kg of food per day to survive  Uses their claws and teeth  Skin and fat are eaten first, then meat

Habitat  Live in the entire circumpolar Arctic region  Adapted to live in water and on land.  Adapted to live in water and on land.  Are excellent swimmers and can withstand its cold environment  Over 40% of all polar bears living today live in Northern Canada  Stay in ice packs of their environment because it allows them to stay near food source  When summer comes, they swim many miles to remain on ice

Adaptations  Have tiny ears and tails which help cut down on heat loss  White fur camouflages them  Blubber is 11 cm. thick to keep them worm thick to keep them worm  Massive paws help them swim, walk on thin ice, have better traction  Sense of smell can allow them to smell a seal at 20 miles away  Eyesight is adapted for underwater

Interesting Facts  They sometimes go into towns and villages  Break into buildings to find food  Advertises coke and ice cream  Are not shot, but caught and taken back to the wild  Are endangered  Countries have laws to protect polar bears, but hunters still kill them

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