The Amazing Mammals from the Arctic
Scientific Classification
Kingdom- Animalia
Phylum- Chordata
Class- Mammalia
Order- Carnivora
Family- Ursidae
Genus- Ursus
Species- Ursus Maritimus (Sea Bear)
Fur and Skin
Skin- They have black
skin with a 4.5 inch layer of fat
Fur- Polar bears have an insulating undercoat with fur of different length on top of that
Hair- Polar bears have long, translucent hollow tubes for hair
Polar Bear Paws
Polar Bear Paws
Paws measure up to 12 inches across
Help distribute the weight of the polar bear on ice
Their paws serve almost as flippers do when they
swim
On the bottom of their paws, they have black pads that are covered with papillae, or small bumpsthis helps them with traction
The claws of a polar bear measure about 2 inches long They use their strong claws to catch prey and from slipping on the ice
Diet
Bears will also eat
Polar bears eat a diet
that consists mostly of ringed seals
The bears will stalk the seals on ice and pounce on them
They will also find the seals breathing holes and wait by them for the seals to come up
vegetation, fish, geese, eggs, or caribou, walrus, or whales but they prefer the blubber of seals
Some polar bears beg the bear “in charge,” who killed the actual prey
They can eat up to 100 pounds of seal blubber in one sitting
Environment
They live in the
circumpolar north
Canada is home to about
60% of polar bears
They can also be found in
Alaska, Russia, Norway, and Greenland
Polar bears live in the
Arctic
Reproduction
Polar bears usually give birth to 1-
2 cubs but are able to give birth to
4 cubs
Cubs are born between November and January
Only pregnant mothers hibernate;
Males and non-breeding females do not
Cubs weigh around one pound when they are born
Mothers will nurse cubs until they are about 20 pounds
Cubs will stay with their mothers until they are 2 years old
Polar bears can only have up to 5 liters in their lifetimes
Polar Bears
Hunting Threats
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, hunting
became a huge threat against polar bears
The International Agreement on the
Conservation of Polar Bears
Prohibited unregulated hunting
Required Nations to protect