1. The Polar Bear Ursus maritimus

2. Where do Polar Bear’s live? The Polar Bear lives in the Arctic areas of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia and Norway near the North Pole. They live on the ice and hunt in openings in the sea ice. The main food available is seals. It is very cold, sometimes as cold as -45  C.

3. Features of the Polar Bear thick, white, waterproof coat with hollow hairs Large, webbed feet hair on the soles of feet Strong curved claws good eyesight Good sense of smell Black skin under coat Small ears

4. Description of their features The Polar Bear has: A thick, white, waterproof coat, made of hollow hairs. This coat covers almost all of their body Black skin under their coat Toes which are joined by skin (webbed feet) Strong curved claws Wide feet (30 cm across) Hair on the soles of their feet Small ears Good eyesight Good sense of smell

5. What features help the Polar Bear to survive? The white coat helps it to blend in to the environment when they are hunting making it easier to catch their prey. The thick coat made up of hollow hairs helps to insulate it against the cold and stay warm. The black skin helps to absorb heat from the sun. Small ears reduce heat loss Toes which are joined by skin (webbed feet) allow the bears to swim more easily without getting tired. The waterproof coat also helps with swimming by keeping the bear dry. Strong curved claws are used to catch prey and tear up food as well as grip the ice. Hair on the soles of their feet and between their toes help the bear to grip the ice when they are walking or running without slipping. Large feet help to spread their weight, so that they do not fall through thin ice. Good eyesight and a good sense of smell help them to find their prey.