Polar Bears
Abby Harmon
World’s Largest Predators
• Where can I be found?
– Artic
– U.S.( Alaska)
– Canada
– Russia
– Denmark(Greenland)
– Norway
Endangered Species
• Are polar bears endangered?
– Artic
• Scientist believe that polar bears are endangered in the
artics.
• They are believed to be endangered because of the
climate change in the artics.
Characteristics
• Size
• “The polar bear is the largest land carnivore.”
• Male polar bears are about three times the size of females.
– Males
• “boars weigh (772-1,433 lb.)”
• “Length: (8.2-9.8 ft.) long.”
– Females
• “Sows weigh (331-551 lb.)”
• “Length: (6.0-8.2 ft.)”
• “Pregnant bears weigh about (1,102 lb.)”
Characteristics (Cont.)
• Body shape
– Slender bodies compared to bears
– Long necks and heads
• Coloration
– their fur color will vary
• Limbs
– Longer back legs than front legs
– Five-toed paws
– Webbed front feet and elongated
hind feet
Characteristics (Cont.)
• Limbs (Cont.)
– Walks of soles of feet
– Heels touch ground first
– Lumbered gait
– Head goes side to side walking
– Uses twice the energy to move due to size
– 3.4 mph average walking speed
– 25 mph when chasing prey
Characteristics (Cont.)
• Head
– Elongated head
– Nose: Broad and black
Characteristics (Cont.)
• Teeth
– 42 teeth
– Used in eating and aggressive behavior
Eating Habits
• Eats
-reindeer
-small rodents
-seabirds
-waterfowl
-fish
-eggs
-vegetation
-berries
-human garbage
Eating Habits (Cont.)
• The stomach can hold 15% to 20% of its body
weight
• Eats this much when high demand for energy
• Do not eat when hibernating
Activity
• Activeness
– Most active first third of day
– Least active final third of day
• When sleeping
– Often sleeping or resting
– When warm lay out on ground or ice
– When cold curl up
Behavior
• Groups
-Adult females with cubs
-Breeding pairs
• Male and females play fight
• Cubs chase and tackle brothers & sisters
Hibernation
•
•
•
•
Only pregnant females
Easily awakened
Stores body fat when food is plentiful
Food scarce, hibernate
Population
• Population of Polar Bears
– 20,000 to 25,000 individual polar bears
– Male to female ratio is about one:one
• Declining population
– Due to the loss of sea, ice
habitats.
Bibliography
•
•
•
•
•
“Kidzone”- http://www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/polar_bear.htm
“Polar Bear International” http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/faqs#q2
“Sea-World” http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/physical-characteristics.htm
“Sea-World” http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/diet.htm
“Hibernating” http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/polarbears/pbbehavior.html
Bibliography (Cont.)
Pictures
• “Paw Print” http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bear-paw-print-decal
• “Sunshine Polar Bear” http://www.arkive.org/polar-bear/ursus-maritimus/
• “Shy Polar Bear” http://animalzfun.blogspot.com/2012/04/cute-bears-nice-photos-images2012.html
• “Walking Polar Bear” http://explore.org/photos/5721/polar-bear-ursus-maritimus-large-malewalking-c
• “Cubs” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear
• “Stare” http://nature-calls.tv/polar-bear-prank-jeremy-jones-further/polar-bear-stare-head/
• “Teeth” http://www.earthrangers.com/wildwire/take-action/polar-bear-update-finding-andtracking-polar-bears/
• “Teeth Close up”
http://www.hsd3.org/HighSchool/Teachers/MATTIXS/Mattix%20homepage/studentwork/LYNNZIE%
20TOMPKINS%20WEBPAGE/ASSETS/Teeth.html
• “Blog post” http://www.greenpepperblog.com/greenpepper_blog/2009/10/just-how-helpful-willthe-new-alaskan-polar-bear-habitat-be.html
• “Fishy” http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/mammals/PolarBear.HTM
• “Hibernate” http://sparklyandslimming.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/fighting-the-urge-tohibernate/
• “Curled up” http://www.natgeocreative.com/photography/1072312