10 Polar Bear Facts

Animals are one of the most fascinating parts of nature.  With birds and animals nature looks complete. There are many animals either on verge of extinction or are facing great danger to their lives from none other than human beings, the proud crown of creatures. Polar bear is one such class, which is facing danger. As their name suggests, they are found on poles, in the icy plains where the temperature is always freezing and life sustenance is extremely difficult. Let’s check the facts about this beautiful predator.

1. Where they are found!

Polar bears are the world’s largest land predators. They are found in icy plains, like, Alaska, Canada, Norway, Denmark and Russia. In these countries, the hunting of polar bears is banned so today they are now in 25,000 to 40,000 in number on planet earth.

2. Family

 Almost at the age of four to five years, the female polar bear gives birth. Normally, polar bears have two cubs. These babies are kept in the caves with their mother and remain inside till the winter is over.

3. Cubs

 The polar bears’ cubs are too small when they are born. Their weight is equal to a pond and their size is of a rat’s size. They can grow to a man’s size within a year if plenty of food is available.

4. Growth and Age

The male polar bears can grow up till 10 feet in height while they can be as Fat as 1400 pounds. Female polar bears are normally 7 feet in height and 650 pounds in weight. In the wild, their average age is 25 years.

5. Bear’s Fur

 It’s a common misconception that polar bear’s fur is white which is not. its gray in color. It is oily and water repellent. This makes it easy for the polar bear to shake down the un-necessary water drops and ice particles when it swims.

6. Fur structure

The hairs in polar bear’s fur are like hollow tubes. Each hair reflects sun light. From the sun light, polar bears extract the infra red rays that keep them warm up to 98 degree F. this body temperature was measured in sleeping bears.

7. The paws of polar bear

Polar bear’s front paws are wide and paddle like. This helps them to swim. During swimming, they use their front paws as paddles while stir with their hind paws. While the paw pads have rough surface to help them walk on ice.  They have been known to swim a 100 miles.

8. They eat seals

Polar bears eat seals, sometimes by lying down in front of their breathing wholes and sometimes they attack them when they see them outside their breathing wholes.

9. They mostly starve

Bears often starve and around 70% of them do not reach their third birthday. It is because mostly in summers, seals are not found easily in melted waters.

10. Human is their enemy

The biggest enemy to polar bears is human being. In the wake of finding oil, bears are harmed. Once they fur of bears is dipped in oil, they cannot regulated their body temperature, or if they eat oil, they can die.