Hobbies And Interests
Fur
A polar bear's thick white fur is undoubtedly its most standout characteristic next to its colossal size. Its fur allows it to blend into its environment so well that only its nose and eyes stand out. As a result, a polar bear is nearly undetectable to its prey, and in an environment where prey is so scarce, it needs every edge it can get. A polar bear's fur helps it defend itself from the cold and is a critical asset during a hunt. Furthermore, it grows all the way around its paw to protect from the cold and gives it a better grip while walking on ice.
Thick Blubber
Beneath the polar bear's fur, its skin is actually black. The black skin better absorbs a sun's heating rays when skies are clear. The heat is then transferred into a polar bear's thick blubber layers where it's stored. The blubber layers are so efficient at storing heat that a polar bear's skin and fur remain identical to outside temperatures, according to "Engineering News." As a result, heat that a polar bear's body generates gets trapped inside, which further defends the bear against extreme arctic temperatures.
Massive Paws
A polar bear has large front paws that are slightly webbed. These large paws help a polar bear better distribute its weight on ice, which prevents it from post holing. A polar bear depends on the ice in order to find food. Swimming expends a great deal of energy in comparison to walking. Although these bears are excellent swimmers, their massive paws keep them on the surface of the ice longer, giving them a better chance of a finding food, staying warm and saving energy. Furthermore, the paws are equipped with menacing claws that significantly weigh the odds at killing its prey in the polar bear's favor. The benefits of these massive, slightly webbed paws are crucial to a polar bear's survival and a major defense mechanism against the unrelentingly harsh northern environment.
Smell
Smell is the polar bear's most acute sense. It's capable of smelling prey up to a kilometer away and about 3 feet below snow and ice, according to SeaWorld. Without this ability, a polar bear would surely starve. Following its nose is how a polar bear locates its food. Its environment is vast and prey is incredibly scarce, so a polar bear can't afford to wander aimlessly. To defend itself from certain death by starvation, a polar bear relies on its highly sophisticated sense of smell.