BLUBBER WEEK- DAY 3

BLUBBER WEEK- DAY #3

Do you have your coat on for day 3 of blubber week? Well, if you don’t you better grab it because all this week we are heading to the chilly arctic circle! Today we meet a large and in charge bear! Are you all bundled up? Let’s go!

MEET THE POLAR BEAR!

   Range/Habitat: Arctic/ice, shoreline

   Diet: Carnivore: seals, carrion

   Length/Weight: 7-11ft/800- 1500lb

   Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Fun Facts:

• Polar bears are the largest members of the bear family and the largest land carnivore on earth.
• They have two coats of fur, an outer translucent coat that absorbs the sun’s heat and a dense undercoat.
• Polar bears have black skin that helps them absorb heat.
• They also have a thick layer of blubber to help them stay warm.
• Polar bears have rough pads on their paws that help prevent them from slipping and sliding on the ice.
• They are excellent swimmers and are often seen in open waters.
• They use their large front paws to swim.
• Polar bears can smell a seal from a half mile away.
• Female polar bears dig dens in winter and stay there to give birth to 1 to 3 cubs.
• Polar bear cubs stay with their moms until around the age of 2. They spend that time learning to hunt and be polar bears!

Polar bears are amazing animals! They are built to live in the cold arctic! These large and in-charge bears are a protected species! We hope to have them around for a very long time!