Hi everyone! We have started out this blog in hopes of raising awareness of the potential danger polar bears face everyday. But before we move on to the somber details and alarming statistics, we thought that we should begin by introducing some facts about these mammals.
10 things you didn't know about polar bears:
1) Female polar bears, being dutiful mothers, usually give birth to a pair of twins that stay with her for more than 2 years before they start hunting and surviving on their own.
2) Contrary to what many people perceive, the skin of polar bears is actually black. Their fur is made up of many hairs which are really hollow tubes. These tubes reflect the sun which makes the polar bears appear white!
3) Polar bears have wide front paws with slightly webbed toes to help them swim. Their paw pads are rough to prevent them from slipping on the ice.
4) Polar bears primarily eat seals. They rest silently at the breathing hole of the seals and once the seal surfaces, the bear will spring and sink it's jagged teeth into the seal's head. Sometimes, they also hunt underwater and stalk their prey.
5) The fur of the polar bears is oily and water repellent. This allows them to shake dry easily after swimming.
6) Humans are the only predators that hunt polar bears. :(
7) The strength of polar bears are so great, they can kill an animal with one blow of their paw!
8) Polar bears can swim up to 161 kilometers at a time!
9) When curled up, the polar bears may cover their muzzles (noses) to conserve heat.
10) When the ice is very thin, polar bears crawl on their bellies to keep from breaking the ice and falling in. By crawling, the bears spread out their weight more evenly.
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