Activity 2 – Adaptations Polar bears Activity 2 – Adaptations Student sheets year 7 upgrade This page may have been changed from the original 1

Reusable – colour printed and laminated Contents Sheet number Notes 1–9 Reusable – colour printed and laminated 10–18 Consumable 19 20

Arctic hare Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Arctic hare Habitat: North American tundra. Lifespan: About 1 year. Sometimes huddle together in groups of 100–300. Physical features Size: the size of a large cat Shape: rounded to cut heat loss Ears and nose: short Senses: good hearing Feet: wide with strong claws Fur: long and thick Colour: white in the winter and brown in the summer Food: small plants in the summer, twigs and, if need be, meat during the winter months Predators: arctic foxes, gyrfalcons, snowy owls, ermine, wolves and people. Photo : U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Behaviour Often lies completely still. Stands on its hind legs to look for danger. Bounds away from predators at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour (the speed limit on many UK roads). Can run minutes after it is born. Digs dens in snowdrifts for shelter. Student sheet 1

Caribou Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Caribou Habitat: Arctic tundra. Lifespan: 10 years. These herd animals constantly migrate. One male will fight for dominance over a pack of up to 20 females. Physical features Size: larger than the average human Shape: compact body on skinny legs Ears: small Nose: wide Senses: good hearing and smell Feet: wide and shaped for digging Fur: thick and woolly Fat: thick layer Food: lichens Predators: humans, wolves. Photo: David Cartier Behaviour Their knees click when they walk, which alerts other caribou when they run away from something. Males fight to be the leader by clashing antlers. Scrape away snow to find food. Fast swimmer and runner. Student sheet 2 4

Wolverine Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Wolverine Photo : U.S. National Park Service Habitat: Arctic mainland of Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Lifespan: 13 years. They do not allow members of the same sex in their territory. Physical features Size: like a large dog Ears: small Nose: wide Senses: good sense of smell, poor vision Legs: powerful back legs Paws: wide and furry with large claws Fur: thick, water resistant fur Food: dead animals, mice, rats, birds and eggs Predators: humans, wolves and bears. Behaviour Can drive predators away from their kills. Strong teeth and jaws let it eat frozen flesh and bones. Buries spare food for later. Marks its territory and food stores with scent. Student sheet 3 5

Arctic fox Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Arctic fox Habitat: Arctic land and ice floes. Lifespan: 3-4 years. Each male lives with a group of females and young in its own territory. They need 3–60 km2 each, depending on the food available. Physical features Size: like a large pet cat Shape: rounded Ears: short Nose: short Senses: acute hearing Legs: short Feet: wide with thick fur pads Tail: bushy Fur: thickest of any mammal Fat: large stores Food: voles, lemmings, hares, ground squirrels, birds’ eggs or – near the coast – shellfish, sea urchins, dead seals and fish, beached whales and nesting seabirds. Predators: humans. Photo: Tobi Britsch (above), L. A. Ramone (right) Behaviour Rest in burrows in soil or snow and bury excess food in the ice for later. Their tails wrap round to keep their faces warm. Many follow polar bears across ice floes to scavenge their leftovers. If they are very hungry they eat polar bear droppings. Student sheet 4 6

Ringed seal Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Ringed seal Habitat: Arctic Ocean and ice floes. Lifespan: 30 years. Live alone except during the breeding season. Physical features Size: large – like a fat human Shape: rounded but streamlined Ears: hidden and Nose: short Senses: good hearing Fins: strong with sharp claws Hair: thicker in winter Fat: thick layer of blubber Colour: pups white, adults grey Food: fish Predators: polar bears, arctic foxes, walruses, dogs, wolves, wolverines and ravens. Photo © Juli Daoust (above), Andrew McGifford (top) Behaviour Carve breathing holes so they can feed further under the ice shelf than other seals. Females build a den over breathing holes to hide their pups until they are 2 months old. Hold their breath for up to 45 minutes. Sunbathe after shedding their thick winter hair in May. Look up every 20 seconds to check for predators. Student sheet 5

Walrus Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Walrus Habitat: shallow waters in arctic seas. Lifespan: 60 years. Males and females live separately except during the mating season. Physical features Size: large – like a large car Shape: rounded but streamlined Ears: hidden and Nose: short Senses: see through eye lids for clear vision under water Tusks: grow longer with age – bristles at the base detect prey Fins: non-slip surface – used for walking on ice Hair: thicker in winter Fat: thick layer of blubber Food: clams, snails, crabs, shrimps and worms Predators: orca, polar bears and humans. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Behaviour Uses its fins to walk around on ice. Can hold its breath for 10 minutes. Uses its right flipper to stir up sand to look for food. Sucks seafood out of their shells. Cluster together to cut heat loss. Student sheet 6 8

Narwhal Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Narwhal Habitat: close to the ice in arctic seas. Lifespan: 50 years. Females and youngsters travel together but mature males stay in all male groups. Physical features Size: large – 20 times the mass of a human and about 4 m long Shape: rounded but streamlined Tooth: the male’s long tooth attracts mates Senses: uses clicks for echo location and trumpet, whistle, or squeaky door sounds for communication Fins: short Fat: thick layer of blubber Food: deep sea squid and flatfish Predators: humans and orcas. Photo: U.S. NIST Behaviour Males rub their tusks together to clean them. Can dive up to 1000 m and hold its breath for 20 minutes. Swims along the bottom upside down. Uses jets of water or suction to dislodge prey. Student sheet 7 9

Musk ox Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Musk ox Habitat: Arctic tundra. Lifespan: 20–24 years. Live in small herds of about 15. Physical features Size: large – like a large cow Ears: small and hidden in the fur Nose: short Senses: good vision Legs: short Hooves: wide Fur: 2 layers – thick, long overcoat and woolly undercoat Fat: thick layer of fat Food: grasses and small plants Predators: humans – their circle defence technique protects them from other predators but makes them easier to shoot. Behaviour To protect their young from predators such as arctic wolves, the males form a circle around the mothers and children, with their sharp horns facing out. Charge at wolves and bears and throw them into the air in order to break their legs. Save energy by moving slowly. Scratch through snow to find food. Photo: Dr. Len Radin Student sheet 8 10

Collared lemming Physical features Behaviour Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Collared lemming Habitat: Arctic tundra of Greenland and North America. Lifespan: 1 year. When there are too many in one area they migrate. Physical features Size: half the size of your hand Shape: rounded to cut heat loss Ears: small and hidden in the fur Nose: short Senses: good hearing Legs: strong with sharp claws Hair: thicker and white in winter Fat: small fat stores Food: grass, shrubs, bark and twigs Predators: ermine (weasel), arctic fox, snowy owl, wolf, wolverine and humans. Behaviour Line their nests with fur from other animals for extra insulation. Grow two long claws for digging at the start of winter. Search for food in the space between the snow and soil and rarely go outside. Males help care for the young. Student sheet 9 11

Arctic hare Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help arctic hares survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 10 12

Caribou Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help caribou survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 11

Wolverine Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help wolverines survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 12 14

Arctic fox Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help arctic foxes to survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 13 15

Ringed seal Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help ringed seals to survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 14 16

Walrus Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help walruses survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 15 17

Narwhal Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help narwhals to survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 16 18

Musk ox Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help musk oxen to survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 17 19

Collared lemming Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Picture yourself living this animal’s life. Are you in a gang, or on your own? How do you get around? What are you good at? What do you eat? How do you keep warm? Add labels to highlight the physical features and behaviours that help collared lemmings survive in the Arctic. Student sheet 18 20

Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Label my physical adaptations in blue and my behavioural adaptations in red. Student sheet 19 21

Polar bears: Activity 2: Adaptations Student sheet 20 22

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