Polar Bear

by Ryan, Bank Street School for Children

Introduction

This is a book about the Polar Bear. These are the following subjects that are covered in this book:

Food, Eating and Hunting Habits
Environment and Shelter
Mating and Reproduction
Appearance
Other Facts

One of the most important things that I learned about the Polar Bear was that they are an endangered species and they are protected by the countries that they live in.

I hope you enjoy my book.

All five counties that have Polar Bears now give these giants of the north special protection. In 1973, the U.S.S.R, Norway, Greenland, Canada and the United States signed the Oslo Agreement. The agreement tried to do three main things: it hoped to preserve the rights of Eskimos to hunt Polar Bears; it proposed rules to protect cubs and females with cubs and it sought to outlaw the killing of Polar Bears form airplanes and large boats.

The five countries have since passed laws based on the agreement. Except for a few non-native permits issued in Canada, only Eskimos can now hunt Polar Bears. All countries have outlawed the use of airplanes and large boats from hunting the bears. Cubs and females with cubs are protected in all countries except the United States. Eskimos kill about one thousand Polar Bears each year. This is less that in years past.

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Environment and Shelter

Polar bears are found along the northern most coasts of the northern hemisphere, as well as on the sea ice and islands. They live in a generally cold environment with lots of snow and ice on the ground. In winter, the Polar Bear lives on the frozen tundra. In the summer they are on the permanent ice of the north pole.

In winter time, a female Polar Bear hibernates in a somewhat large den. The male Polar Bear hibernates in a den too, but he does not stay in the den the whole winter. In spring, the Polar Bears tundra environment is deep snow with very little twigs and berries for the babies to eat. In the summer, Polar Bears travel farther up north to a colder climate were there is more snow to camouflage in to catch their food. In fall, they head back south to prepare for the winter. The Polar Bears favorite habitat is a mixture of ice, slush and water.

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Appearance

The Polar Bear is the largest bear in the world and the largest of the terrestrial carnivores. Adult males may be as large as 9 1/2 feet from head to rump, and weigh as much as 1,750 pounds. They are as big or bigger than the Brown Bear, but have an elongated head and neck.

Polar Bears are very large but they have adapted to living in the water. The Polar Bear is the only marine bear. They have partially webbed feet, also as a way they have adapted to swimming. This is helps the cubs learn to swim quickly. The bottoms of their paws are furred for traction.

The Polar Bear is well protected from the bitter cold by an extra layer of fat and a thick layer of fur. Polar Bears have small ears. This is another way they have adapted to living in the cold. This keeps their body from loosing heat. It's fur is also waterproof.

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Food, Eating and Hunting Habits

Polar Bears hunt for their food. They eat seal and carcasses. The Polar Bear's favorite food is the ringed seal, although they also hunt Bearded, Harp and hooded Seals. Polar Bears gather in groups when the food is scarce. When the food is scarce the Polar Bear also eats the carcasses of walruses, or whales such as the Narwhal, Beluga and Bowhead whales.

Baby Polar Bears nurse and are fed with their mother's milk. They also eat small portions of what their mother kills.

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Predators

The Polar Bear has two natural predators: the killer whale(Orca), and humans. Both are very dangerous to the Polar Bear because they can take the life of a Polar Bear.

The Killer Whale is a threat to the Polar Bear when it is in water and humans are a threat to the bear when it is on land. The killer Whale lives in water and it is easier for the Killer Whale to move around. Human are a threat to the Polar Bear when it is on land because humans have guns to kill the Polar Bear with in one shot. In both cases the Polar Bears in not safe on land or sea.

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Mating and Reproduction

Most female Polar Bears first breed at the age of 5, some at 4. Most breeding males are probably older. The maximum breeding age is not known but reproductively active females 21 years of age have been reported. One male Polar Bear may mate with several females in a season, or with one female. The male Polar Bear is capable of mating anytime and during any season.

The male and female Polar Bear mate by having sexual intercourse in a way that is similar to the way dogs do. The female bear then becomes pregnant and carries the babies until she gives birth to the small baby Polar Bear.

The time for a baby to grow in the female's body is between 195 to 265 days. The pregnant female Polar Bear looks for a den in drifted snow for winter to give birth to the babies. The cubs are born in December or January. The number of baby cubs varies from 1-3, with estimates of average litter size varying between 1.6 and 1.9 cubs. At birth cubs weigh 17 to 25 ounces. The young usually remain with their mother for 28 months after birth and then the female can breed again at about the time the young leave her. Thus, the breeding intervals are usually two to three years. Over that time the female Polar Bear cares for her cubs.

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