Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
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).
In Inuit religion, Nanook (/ ˈ n æ n uː k /; Inuktitut: ᓇᓄᖅ [1], [2] lit. "polar bear") was the master of bears, meaning he decided if hunters deserved success in finding and hunting bears and punished violations of taboos. [3] The word was popularized by Nanook of the North, the first feature-length documentary. [citation needed]
Like many mammals, grizzly bears are covered in thick fur. Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket that keeps the animal warm. [1]
Bear furs are used to fabricate bearskins, which are tall fur caps worn as part of the full dress uniform for several military units. The Inuit of Greenland use polar bear fur for clothing in areas where reindeer (caribou) and seals are scarce. Polar bear hide is wiry and bulky, making it difficult to turn into comfortable winter garments. [10]
Pinnipeds and polar bears have longer guard hairs forming the most visible fur; [1] polar bears' guard hairs are hollow. Some considerations in judging the quality of an animal's coat: Colour (coat colour other than those allowed in the breed standard results in disqualification)
Polar bear feeding on a seal on an ice floe north of Svalbard, Norway. It is the most carnivorous species. The sloth bear is not as specialized as polar bears and the panda, has lost several front teeth usually seen in bears, and developed a long, suctioning tongue to feed on the ants, termites, and other burrowing insects
In Svalbard, which has an abundance of polar bears, any company outside of settlements is required to carry a rifle for self-defense. Personal defense against bears can be difficult even with firearms, as bear fur and skin provide good resistance against small-caliber bullets.
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.