Polar Bears Essay

Register to read the introduction… They have a thick layer of fat under their skin, which is surprisingly black. They have a dense undercoat helping insulate heat. “Each hair shaft is pigment-free and transparent with a hollow core that scatters and reflects visible light, much like what happens with ice and snow”(1). Although their fur appears to be white, it is actually transparent. Insulating heat is key to surviving the artic temperatures. The bears are seen bathing in snow and water after a swim or meal, to maximize their insulation capabilities. They have adjusted to the freezing temperatures, but that is not the only reason they maintain their stature in the food chain of the artic.
Polar bears are known for their strength, but they are also agile. The bears are known for having a slow stride, but can gallop as fast as a horse over short distances. The profit and loss to sprinting is the used calories; a sprint for a short amount of time could exceed the calories to be gained by the catch. They also have the unique ability to regulate their metabolisms. They are able to slow or speed up their metabolisms according to food shortages of food excess. The survival of the bears depends on their ability to compete with Mother Nature and …show more content…
Their main prey is the ring seal; they utilize a combination of hunting tactics and senses to catch their prey. Polar bears tactically position themselves when on the hunt. The bear takes advantage of the seals need for air, by finding the seals’ breathing holes. Stalking the seal waiting for it to ascend. When the seal surfaces the predator lunges forward, sinking its 5 inch canines into the neck of its prey. Providing 1200 pounds per square inch of bite force into the seal that has quickly become dinner. Polar bears also hunt by stalking seals birthing lairs. The lairs are under snowdrifts near holes in the ice. A polar bear will identify a birth lair by smell and by listening to the seal pup move within the lair. When a seal pup is found the bear uses its strength to break through the lairs roof and slaughters its prey. Polar bears are opportunistic hunters. They hunt other artic marine mammals including whales, walruses, and narwhals, which provide for their substitution for essential calories. Polar bears will eat vegetation and birds when necessary, but they won’t provide the energy they need to survive. The bears are equipped and prepared to survive by whatever means are necessary. Hunting is the bears niche, leaving them prepared to face the obstacles of the north