Made by: Fatima Daak Ms. Lifrieri Period 7

Classification Kingdom: Animailia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae Genus: Ursus Species: Ursus maritimus “sea bear”

Natural Habitat  Habitat: Arctic Polar Icecaps  Nations where they live: Alaska (U.S.), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway

Population  Approximately 20,000-25,000 (worldwide; 2008)  Known to many that Polar Bears seem threatened. If climate change continues to be a problem in the Arctic, sooner or later two-thirds of the world’s population of polar bears could disappear by 2050.

Predator And Prey  It usually eats seals, but on rare cases they as well eat other polar bears. Animals that compete for same food: Arctic wolves, Great white sharks, Orca whales, and humans (in the 19 th and 20 th century for its oil, pelt and meat until almost extinction)  Animals that hunts the polar bear: Only humans. It is unlikely, but there is some cases where other polar bears due to the stress of finding food causing the infrequent acts of cannibalism.

Reasons of Success  To be able to catch seals: Waits quietly at its breathing hole and once a seal come up for air the polar bear charges and grasps it until it is dead. Watches a seal and silently gets close and then attacks. Hunts underneath the ice, swimming.

Adaptations  To the environment: In the fall, pregnant polar bears: Make dens in the snow called snowbanks and they would stay there all through the winter and give birth to 1-3 cubs, emerging in the spring w/ her cubs trailing behind.  Born features: White fur; helps to blend in w/ snow and ice. Large paws; helps to walk on ice. Layer of fat under skin and thick fur; helps to stay warm. Strong swimmers; fore legs and paws help propel them through the water.

Recommendations  Set aside an area for just polar bears and restrict future drilling of oil and gas.  Reduce the affects of global warming; greenhouse emissions/ gases.

References  eaturefeature/polar-bear/ eaturefeature/polar-bear/  