Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are carnivorous mammals. They live for about 27 years in the wild and grow to be 8 feet tall, weighing up to 1,600 pounds. Polar bears live in the arctic regions of the world. Besides walking on land, they can also swim very well. They have large paws which are somewhat webbed that they use to paddle in the water. They often use ice sheets as rafts to save energy, instead of swimming.
In order to survive in the cold weather of the arctic, polar bears have thick fur that covers a layer of fat. Polar bears have white fur which allows them to blend in the snow but their skin is actually black which helps them soak in the warmth of the sun.
Fun Fact: Polar bears even have fur on the bottom of their paws, the fur helps keep a good grip on the ice.
Polar bears main source of food is seals, so they try to find areas of ice which are cracked, this is where seals surface. They also eat the carcasses of dead whales. Polar bears have their pick of food that comes because they have no natural enemies. During the summer, polar bears sleep more during the day because seals are more active at night. Polar bears tend to not mind having to share food as long as there’s enough for the bear that found the food. They can eat up to 100 pounds of blubber in one sitting, which is what they need to stay healthy.
Polar bears create dens in deep snow drifts to keep out the cold, arctic air. This is also where females give birth, usually to twins. 
Cubs stay with their mothers for more than two years. The male doesn’t help in the raising of the children and may even kill them.
Polar bears communicate similarly to other animals, through a variety of signals and calls:
Head wagging from side to side: This shows that polar bears want to play, it’s play fighting to teach cubs.
Nose-to-nose greetings: This is how bears ask each other for something, especially if they don’t know each other.
Chuffing: A vocal response to stress.
Scolding: A low growl.
Rushing: Females with cubs with rush towards a male when approached.
Hissing, snorting, lowered head: Sign of aggression.
Loud roars or growls: Anger.
To hear some sounds made by polar bears click here! Polar bears also like to keep their fur clean and in the spring will swim in open waters to clean themselves. To dry off, they role around in the snow.
Polar bears are important because they are the top of their food chain and help keep their ecosystems in check. Since they depend on ice and the characteristics of the arctic, they’re also an indicator species for climate change. The biggest threat to polar bears is climate change. As the ice melts, polar bears have to spend more time on land and they sometimes venture into communities where they come into contact with humans that can end badly. People continue to hunt polar bears despite it being illegal and the efforts to protect them. Polar bears are unique animals that need to be protected and you can help out by donating to or adopting from the World Wildlife Fund or Polar Bears International.
“Polar Bear.” National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/p/polar-bear/.
“Polar Bears.” Polar Bears International, polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears.
Polar Bear. Kidzone, www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/polar_bear.htm.
Polar Bear. Erica Suter, ericasuter.com/exercise-for-confidence-polar-bear-crawl/.
i like the gif that you added in the beginning. I also like how you categorized what different sounds mean for the communication of polar bears. You also tied in the threat of climate change, which is a serious one that threatens all wildlife. I wonder how many polar bears are still alive in the wild, and how that compares to the number that existed a few years ago.
As a Veterinary bio medical science major, I am very interested in animals of all species. I think your blog is very interesting and shows your compassion for animals. I leaned a few interesting facts about polar bears that I did not know before so thank you! I think your writing style is very good in keeping the reader engaged and wanting to learn more. The pictures and overall aspect of your blog enhances your topic and brings the entire thing together overall. Great job!
I like how you thoroughly discuss the anatomy of the polar bear in relation to why it lives in the habitat that it does. Climate change is a major issue for so many animals, not just polar bears and it is great you recognized this. People need to be made aware of this issue so that we can take actual action and not just continue arguing over whether or not climate change is a legitimate issue.
Polar bears are amazing and so is this blog. The simplicity of it makes the ideas it talks about so interesting. Like, I didn’t even know they could hiss, or that apparently every polar bear papa doesn’t like kids. It’s fascinating to watch things on Nat Geo but this was something I genuinely enjoyed.