Overheating A Polar Bear

Polar bears need to adapt to the cold weather of their climate so they have thick, dense hair. This hair covers almost every part of their body except for their muzzle and footpads. Ironically, Polar bears overheat. To keep from overheating polar bears perform many different actions to regulate their body temperature. Polar bears are known to move quite slowly, but they do this to keep a stable body temperature. Polar bears release extra body heat through their muzzle, ears, and footpads. These adaptations are examples of homeostasis.

The only place in the world that Polar bears live is in the Arctic. Their habitats are divided into 19 subpopulations. Polar bears live along the edges of pack ice because water currents and wind work together …show more content…
They seek out maternity dens in October or November. Most maternity dens are located on land where snow accumulates including along coastal bluffs, river banks or pressure ridges on sea ice. Sows give birth to usually 1 or 2 one-pound cubs and then nurse them until they reach about 20-30 pounds before emerging from the den in March or April. The young are born from November through January while the mothers are hibernating. Cubs will remain with their mothers for a little over 2 years. Female polar bears can produce five litters in their lifetime, which is one of the lowest reproductive rates of any mammal.

Polar bears communicate in a number of ways. A way that polar bears communicate that they wish to play or mock-fight is to wag their heads back and forth. If a polar bear wishes to request something from another polar bear, the bear requesting something will touch the other bear’s muzzle with its own muzzle. Females with cubs communicate aggressively towards all other bears. She will first growl or hiss, then charge with her head down at the intruding bear. When polar bears attack each other they always do so with their head