Hobbies And Interests
Names
The scientific name for the polar bear is Ursus maritimus, which means sea bear. This animal is also known by the slightly more obscure names of Lord of the Arctic, old man in the fur cloak and white sea deer. The Inuit know the polar bear as nanuk, whereas in Russian the name is beliy medved, meaning white bear. In Norway and Denmark, the polar bear is called isbjorn, which translates to ice bear.
Appearance
The polar bear has a very thick white fur coat, which covers a layer of fat. Both these layers act as insulation in the very cold environment the bear lives in, and it even has fur on the bottom of its paws. The color of the coat means the animal is well camouflaged in its icy habitat. The skin of the polar bear is black, the best color to absorb whatever warmth comes from the rays of the sun. Adult males generally weigh from 775 to 1,200 lbs. and stand at 6.5 to 12 feet tall, while females are smaller at 330 to 650 lbs. and 6 to 9 feet tall. Pregnant females can weigh more than this.
Habitat
The polar bear is perfectly adapted for life in its habitats in the far north, otherwise known as the circumpolar north. These animals can be found in five areas: the United States -- specifically Alaska, Canada, Russia, Norway and Greenland. They are divided into 19 sub-populations, depending on the exact area they live in. Polar bears do not live in Antarctica.
Diet
At the top of the Arctic food chain, the polar bear is the largest land-based predator in the world. It primarily feeds on seals, but will also feed on any animal carcasses it might come across, such as that of a dead whale. Polar bears sometimes hunt walruses, reindeer and birds if seals are hard to find. When hunting, the bears remain close to the water's edge and air holes in the ice so they can catch their prey when it comes up for air.