Polar Bear Adaptations
Adaptations are characteristics that help an organism to
survive in its environment and/or reproduce.
Adaptations can be physical or behavioral, but all
are involved with survival in an environment.
Physical Adaptations
•Feathers, fur and
insulation
•Body shape
•Color
•Protection
We’ll look at each of these in more detail on the following slides.
Feathers, Fur and Insulation
One of the ways that
animals are protected from
weather conditions is
through insulating feathers,
fur or fat. The majority of
tundra birds and mammals
found in the Northern USA
and Canada actually have 2
coats. Outer coats are
generally water repellent,
while inner coats generally
trap and hold warm air.
Many mammals from this
area also have thick layers
of blubber to keep them
warm when temperatures
are cold.
Body Shape
Many tundra birds and
mammals are larger and
have smaller appendages
than similar species in
warmer climates.
This body plan allows more
heat to remain within the
animal where it belongs,
and less heat to escape
into the environment.
Color
Color is a
tremendous benefit
for many animals of
the wild. For
example, the artic fox
and hare turn white
in winter so they are
camouflaged in the
snow. In the
beginning of
summer, they shed
their white coat and it
is replaced with a
brown one so that it
may more easily
blend in with a forest
environment.
Protection
•Many animals have
unique adaptations
to protect them from
predators, or to help
to get food.
•Deer, elk and
caribou have antlers
that can be used for
defense from
enemies. Others
may have hard outer
coverings that serve
as protection.
•How do the polar
bears large feet help
him?
Adaptations may be behavioral as
well as physical.
Behavioral Adaptations
•Hibernation
•Protection
•Caching
•Migration
•Shelter
We will discuss these more in depth
over the next few pages.
Hibernation
To avoid
adverse
weather
conditions,
some animals
hibernate, or
become
dormant during
the periods of
worst weather.
The black bear
can withstand
up to 100 days
without eating,
drinking,
defacating,
urinating or
exercising
Protection.
Most animals can protect themselves
on a physical and behavioral level.
Caching
The act of storing
food for the winter is
known as caching.
Many animals,
especially rodents,
store food for the
winter.
Moose and bear also
store fat in their
bodies to prepare for
a long winter.
Migration
Migration
Many animals and
birds migrate to more
moderate climates
during the winter.
The arctic tern is
known to migrate
22,000 miles on a
yearly migration from
their arctic breeding
grounds to their
wintering grounds in
the Antarctic.
Migration
Although some
animals travel long
distances to
accommodate their
needs, some
animals like
mountain goat and
elk migrate locally.
This means that
they will go to
lower elevations
on the mountain(s)
in which they live.
Shelter
Many animals rely on living
under the snow for
protection. Snow crystals
trap air and are therefore
excellent insulators.
Amazingly, temperatures
under 7 inches of unpacked
snow can be as much as 50
degrees warmer than at the
surface.
Shelter
Artic hare and fox take
advantage of the snow
and build dens for
protection against the
harsh arctic winters.
Polar bears build dens
as well, but generally
cubs are not born until
spring.
In summary…
•Adaptations are characteristics that enable
an organism to survive in it’s environment
and reproduce.
•Adaptations can be physical or behavioral.
In summary…
•All adaptations are related to the
environment that an organism lives in.
Physical adaptations can include…
Feathers, fur
and insulation
Body Shape
Color
In summary…
Behavioral adaptations can
include…
Hibernation
Caching
Migration
Shelter
Protection can be both a
physical and a behavioral
adaptation.
Invent an Organism…
• If you were to “invent an organism”, you
would need to first consider its
environment…
• Decide upon an environment for your
organism. Consider it’s temperature,
moisture level, amount of sunlight, etc…
• See the Invent an Organism handout
stored here…