Endangered Species Summary
Polar Bear
Jaksen Perrin, Kelsie Pierce, and James Ryburn
Ursus maritimus, otherwise called Polar bears, are essentially large white bears with large, flat, webbed feet used for swimming and roaming on ice. They live in regions between the arctic circle and the North Pole where there is a lot of water and ice, a habitat they have evolved to live in over time. Unlike most bear species, Polar bears are considered to be “marine mammals” meaning they are categorized with sea lions, whales, and walruses (Polar bear 2017). Another difference between Polar bears and normal bears is the fact that they don’t den and they have access to their food all year round. However, despite all these differences they are still classified …show more content…
This results in the ongoing loss of sea-ice habitats due to the rising temperatures (Polar bear, 2017). In addition to losing their homes, polar bears face a decline in seal population, which is their main food source. The decline in temperature also results in fewer amount of cubs produced which will affect later generations of polar bears and even further promotes endangerment. Another major obstacle is the frequent oil exploration. According to panda.org, oil caused by oil spills found on the fur of the polar bear’s insulating effect of its fur. A Compensation to this would be a higher caloric intake to increase body fat, but with the seal population decreasing, this is a challenge. In addition, the oil is also toxic to the bear and its cubs as it acts as a poison resulting in low levels of vitamin A, thyroid hormones, and some antibodies as well as long term damage to the liver and kidney (Minteer, 2010). It’s mainly ingested through food and water sources in addition to even the small amount on the fur. The toxins can also be spread to the cubs through the mother's milk. The hunting of polar bears also serve as an obstacle and threat to conservation efforts. While They are allowed to be haunted in controlled quantities by tribes for traditional reasons, how many are actually being hunted, legally or illegally is hard to track and control (Minteer,
Polar Bear
Jaksen Perrin, Kelsie Pierce, and James Ryburn
Ursus maritimus, otherwise called Polar bears, are essentially large white bears with large, flat, webbed feet used for swimming and roaming on ice. They live in regions between the arctic circle and the North Pole where there is a lot of water and ice, a habitat they have evolved to live in over time. Unlike most bear species, Polar bears are considered to be “marine mammals” meaning they are categorized with sea lions, whales, and walruses (Polar bear 2017). Another difference between Polar bears and normal bears is the fact that they don’t den and they have access to their food all year round. However, despite all these differences they are still classified …show more content…
This results in the ongoing loss of sea-ice habitats due to the rising temperatures (Polar bear, 2017). In addition to losing their homes, polar bears face a decline in seal population, which is their main food source. The decline in temperature also results in fewer amount of cubs produced which will affect later generations of polar bears and even further promotes endangerment. Another major obstacle is the frequent oil exploration. According to panda.org, oil caused by oil spills found on the fur of the polar bear’s insulating effect of its fur. A Compensation to this would be a higher caloric intake to increase body fat, but with the seal population decreasing, this is a challenge. In addition, the oil is also toxic to the bear and its cubs as it acts as a poison resulting in low levels of vitamin A, thyroid hormones, and some antibodies as well as long term damage to the liver and kidney (Minteer, 2010). It’s mainly ingested through food and water sources in addition to even the small amount on the fur. The toxins can also be spread to the cubs through the mother's milk. The hunting of polar bears also serve as an obstacle and threat to conservation efforts. While They are allowed to be haunted in controlled quantities by tribes for traditional reasons, how many are actually being hunted, legally or illegally is hard to track and control (Minteer,