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The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed.The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb).
The livers of polar bears, walruses, bearded seals, and huskies can contain very high levels of preformed vitamin A, [11] and their consumption has led to vitamin A poisoning (hypervitaminosis A) according to several anecdotal reports. It has been estimated that consumption of 500 grams of polar bear liver would result in a toxic dose for a ...
The key danger for polar bears posed by the effects of climate change is malnutrition or starvation due to habitat loss.Polar bears hunt seals from a platform of sea ice. Rising temperatures cause the sea ice to melt earlier in the year, driving the bears to shore before they have built sufficient fat reserves to survive the period of scarce food in the late summer and early fall.
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Polar bear fur is not actually white, but rather clear and hollow, the better to insulate them in icy waters and help them stay afloat. When exposed to the sun, these tubular hairs yellow slightly.
At the top of the food chain are the bears. Alaska contains about 70% of the total North American brown bear population and the majority of the grizzly bears, as well as black bears and Kodiak bears. In winter, polar bears can be found in the Kuskokwim Delta, St. Matthew Island, and at the southernmost portion of St. Lawrence Island.
Ursus is a genus in the family Ursidae that includes the widely distributed brown bear, [3] the polar bear, [4] the American black bear, and the Asian black bear. The name is derived from the Latin ursus, meaning bear. [5] [6]
Polar bears rely on seals and fish as their primary food source. While the bears can hunt land mammals such as caribou and fox, they can survive off of land prey for only approximately 6 months. Without the abundance of sea ice, polar bears cannot access seals and fish and, thus, can starve. [17]