Polar Bear Adoption Gift Packs

Take a look at the question and answer format below to discover the key facts and figures about polar bears:

Where do polar bears live?

The polar bear, or ursus maritimus, which translates as ‘sea bear’, can be found in the arctic regions of North America and Siberia.

How do polar bears survive these icy cold conditions?

Polar bears are perfectly adapted to survive the harsh climate of the Arctic, where temperatures can drop to as low as -45˚C or -50˚F. The polar bear’s large size helps maintain its body temperature as well as its two layers of fur which provides excellent insulation, ensuring that the polar bear experiences almost no heat loss. The polar bear also boasts a layer of blubber beneath its skin that can be as much as 4 ½ inches thick, to further insulate them from plummeting temperatures.

What age can a polar bear expect to live to?

In the wild male polar bears can live up to 20 years of age, whilst the female polar bear can reach 30 years. In captivity, however polar bears can live for 40 years and upwards.

What makes polar bears different from other species of bear?

Polar bears are among the largest of the bear species. Male polar bears can expect to grow to between 8 and 10 feet high, and weigh anywhere from 550 to 1700 pounds. The female polar bear, meanwhile, are somewhat smaller and can grow to between 6 to 8 feet high and weigh 200 to 700 pounds.

What do polar bears eat?

The polar bear is the most ravenous out of any of the North American bears and consequently they have much larger canine teeth and sharper molars than any of the other bear species. Seals often constitute the staple of the polar bear diet; however, they will also feast on fish and birds. Scientists have also noted their diet extends to eating mammals, shellfish, crab, mushrooms, berries, grasses and algae.

Why are polar bears endangered?

The infrequency of the mating season, coupled with the encroachment of humans upon their habitat, has contributed significantly to the decline in polar bear numbers. The polar bear only mates in April through May every two years and sometimes they do not mate until every third year. On average, female polar bears will have an average of five litters in their lifetime and a litter can have anything from 1 to 4 cubs. Indeed, these slow breeding habits, coupled with environmental factors, such as global warming which threatens their cold habitats, means that the number of polar bears left is steadily declining.

Moreover, for decades the unrestricted hunting of polar bears by Arctic indigenous peoples raised international concern for the future of the species. These hunting activities have, however, been curtailed and the IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature) now lists global warming as the most significant threat to the polar bear.

How endangered are polar bears?

The IUCN states, “If climatic trends continue, polar bears may become extirpated from most of their range within 100 years.” On 14 May 2008, the United States Department of the Interior listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

How can you help?

To help directly you can adopt a polar bear. This starts from just £3 a month and can help to protect the future of this beautiful animal. Your money will help in conservation efforts to protect the arctic home of the polar bear and curtail the shrinking of ice in this region.