What are the polar bear basics everyone should know? Well it’s hard to pick just a few, but we will try…
- Polar bears need to eat mostly FAT to survive and thrive. In the wild, they can’t live on the same diets as grizzly and blackbears.
- Polar bears need sea ice to find their main prey, seals. Polar bears are so dependent on sea ice that their Latin name,Ursus maritimus, literally means “sea bear,” and they are considered a marine mammal in most countries, not terrestrial!
- Polar bear fur is transparent, hollow, and reflects light, giving it its white appearance.
- Polar bears do not hibernate like other North American bears. While their metabolism slows down in the summer and while denning, they do not go into true hibernation.
Tune in to the Polar Bear Cam chats (like the one TOMORROW, Friday, October 24 at 11 AM Pacific/1 PM Central/2 PM Eastern) – and ask questions in the chat window to find out more about these super special icebears!
