Polar Bears By: Katrina
Table of Contents Introduction...........................Page #1 Food............................................Page #2 Habitat.......................................Page #3 Mating........................................Page #4 Appearance.............................Page #5 Global Warming....................Page #6 Glossary.....................................Page #7 Cited Sources.........................Page #8 About the author.................Page #9
Introduction Have ever seen a Polar Bear or do you want to see one, not just in a zoo, but in real life? Well this book will tell you all about Polar Bears and their nature. They are actually very fascinating animals! If you thought that they were just big clumsy animals finding food in the Arctic, you are absolutely wrong! They do more than just eat, sleep, yawn, repeat! Here is a little fact to get you started. A Polar Bear’s scientific name is Ursus Maritimus.
1
Food A polar bear is a carnivore; Polar Bears mostly feed on ringed or bearded seals. But sometimes if they are lucky, they may catch a young beluga whale or a young walrus. If they really cannot find seals a young whale or walrus, they just eat reindeer, any small rodent, or seabirds. When a polar bear is hungry, they wait at a seal’s hole and waits for the seal to come. But when the polar bear is desperate to find food they spot their prey swimming in the water, then the polar bear slowly and steadily stalks its prey and when the seal swims to an iceberg, the polar jumps and kills the seal with its teeth or claws. Sometimes when there is no iceberg around, the polar bear will dive into the water and chase the seal. When the seal is dead, the polar bear drags the seal towards its den.
This is a seal, a polar bear’s tasty snack! This is a seabird, this is what polar bears eat when they cannot find a seal or a walrus
2
Habitat Polar Bears live in the north. They can be found in Canada, Alaska, Russia, Norway and Greenland. Over 40% of the polar bear species live in Canada nowadays. When summer comes, polar bears would travel in packs to places that are colder, like Alaska, Russia, Norway or Greenland. On the ice or in the snow, the polar bear builds a den. A den is where a polar bear sleeps, gives birth to it’s babies and eats it’s food.
This is a grown polar bear hiding in it’s den, freshly made in deep snow
3
Mating Mating takes place on the ice at about April or May. A male polar bear finds a female polar bear by congregating in the best seal hunting habitats. A female breeds about once every three years. So there are approximately three males mating one female. Before mating, the female is accompanied by three males. The males will fight each other for the female. The last male polar bear that is standing gets the female.
Did you know that when male polar bears fights for a female, it is sometimes fatal?
This is a newborn polar bear, it cannot open it’s eyes yet
4
Appearance The polar bear is the largest of the bear species. A female polar bear only weighs half as much as a male polar bear. Males are about 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) From head to tail. Females are about 2 meters (6.5 feet). Males weigh about 408 kilos (900 lb.) And females weigh about 226 kilos (500 lbs.) Did you know that underneath the polar bear’s thick white fur, they also have a thin layer of black fur?
Did you know that polar bears can keep warm in the Arctic because of 10 cm of blubber under their fur?
5
Global Warming Polar bears are endangered because of global warming. In many places there are droughts, fires, heat waves. These affect the Arctic- that’s where polar bears live. Many scientists are trying to figure out a way to stop global warming. Another reason why polar bears are affected is, the fires and heat waves melt the ice the polar bears live on so that makes it harder for them to catch their food. Without land, it is very possible that they can drown. Also without food they will very likely be cannibals.
This is a polar bear cub and her mother stranded on a iceberg
6
Glossary Accompanied- Someone is with you, while you are doing something. Blubber- A thick layer of fat. Cannibals- An animal who eats the same kind of species as themselves. Congregating- Meeting at the same place at the same time with somebody. Heat waves- Very very hot weather, and that causes waves in the air. Fatal- Synonym for deadly, may cause death. Stalk- Stalk/ stalking/ stalked. Unwanted attention by someone you know or do not know. Being followed.
7
Cited Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear "Polar Bear." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, 19 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/polar-bear/ "Polar Bear." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/global-warming "Global Warming." Polar Bears International. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/polar-bears/diet-and-eating-habits N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. http://www.defenders.org/polar-bear/basic-facts "Basic Facts About Polar Bears." Polar Bear. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014.
8
About the Author
My name is Katrina. I am a cat lover. I had a dog named King Kong, but we gave him away when we moved. And I go to Shanghai American School.
9