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According to the definition, endangered species are those living creatures which are seriously at the risk of extinction. Polar bears are one such species that have been declared to be threatened, by the Endangered Species Act, since 2008. Polar bears are the first animals that made to the list endangered species, due to the problem of Global warming. In this article, we shall learn about – Why Are Polar Bears Endangered?

Where Do The Polar Bears Live?

The scientific name of a polar bear is Ursus maritimus. It is the only type of bear that is recognized as a marine mammal. Polar bears live in the Northern Hemisphere which is the Arctic region of North America and Eurasia. They can live on land and the ice of the sea. The countries in which they are found generally are Greenland (Denmark), Norway, Russia and Canada. They are also found in the state of Alaska in the U.S.A.

What Is The Scientific Classification Of Polar Bears?

Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum     – Chordata
Class         – Mammalia
Order         – Carnivora
Family       – Ursidae
Genus       – Ursus
Species       – Ursus maritimus

How Did The Polar Bears Evolve?

According to the recent researches, it is believed that polar bears evolved in the time span from 3.5 to 6 million years ago. They separated from their common brown bear ancestors. Over the years, they adapted themselves to live in the extremely cold climate of polar region of Northern Hemisphere.

What Is The Size Of A Polar Bear?

Polar bears are giant animals. Adult males weigh between three hundred fifty kilograms to six hundred kilograms or more. Adult females are comparatively smaller. They weigh between one hundred fifty kilograms to two hundred ninety five kilograms. Generally, their body length is between 2 to 2.5 meters.

What Is The Life-Span Of Polar Bears?

Life-span of polar bears is 15 to 18 years, on an average. Some polar bears can also reach up to the ages of mid 30s.

What Are The Reasons For Survival Of Polar Bears In The Arctic Climate?

Polar bears are adapted to live in the arctic environment, where the temperature falls up to -45 degree Celsius. Polar bears are covered by 2 fur layers, which keep them warm. When they are getting proper food and healthy surrounding, they also develop a thick layer of fats over their bodies. Polar bears have compact ears and tiny tails. So the heat loss from their bodies is very less.

Polar bears have feet covered with fur. Their feet also have papillae (small bumps) that prevent them from slipping. They are very sensitive to smell and can detect seals very easily. Their claws are very powerful and specially adapted to hunt for the seals from the sea.

What Do The Polar Bears Eat?

Polar bears are carnivorous animals. They are very skilled hunters on land, as well as in sea. Their habitat has plenty of seals. So they depend mostly on the seals for their food. They can eat both ringed and bearded seals. If available, polar bears also eat the sea birds and their eggs. They also scavenge for dead animals in the sea like walrus and small whales. After eating, the fur and the skin of polar bear turn a little reddish. Baby polar bears are not good hunters. So they are fed hunted food by their mothers up to the age of 2 to 3 years.

What Is The Current Population Of Polar Bears?

The exact population of polar bears cannot be traced as they are spread over various countries. The current estimation says that their population is 21,000 to 25,000. Their population and survival depends on many facts like environmental pollution, climate change, global warming and loss of habitat by human activities.

Why Are Polar Bears Endangered?

Polar bears are right at the top of the food chain. They consume the seals from the sea and prevent their over population. In past years, there has been a huge development in the oil and gas sectors, in the region of the habitat of polar bears. Actually, the baby polar bears are raised in these areas. So it is a great hurdle for the baby polar bears to reach adulthood.

Global warming has affected the habitat of polar bears massively. The change in temperature is very rapid in the Arctic region, compared to any other place. This is because of the global warming. The ice cap is shrinking constantly. The arctic ice has started to melt and the ocean water has started exposing to the sunlight. This has an ill effect on the feeding cycle of the polar bears. Their breeding and habitat is also adversely affected. Hence, there will be a gradual extinction of polar bears, due to the degradation of their natural habitat. If this rate of global warming continues, most of the ice in the region of the Arctic will melt, by the end of this century. Hence, the polar bears will also be extinct.

What Are The Mating And Reproduction Seasons Of Polar Bears?

In April or May, the polar bears feed heavily and then mate. After mating, the females dig dens in mountain slopes or hills, around the sea shores, in late October or early November. The cubs are born in these dens, in November or December.

At the time of the birth, the cubs are 30 to 35 centimeters in length. They weigh between half to 1 kilogram. Surprisingly, they are blind at the time of the birth. They are without tooth and have short fur. So they are completely dependent on their mothers for food and warmth. The cubs grow rapidly due to the rich calorie content in their mother’s milk. Birth of twin cubs is very common in polar bears. The cubs live with their mothers for about 2.5 years.

How Can A Common People Help In The Conservation Of Polar Bears?

• Use public transport systems, as much as possible. You can also walk or ride bicycles.
• Buy fuel efficient vehicles or rather, drive less.
• Use water wisely.
• Conserve power by turning off equipments, when not in use. You can also replace old equipments with power efficient equipments.
• Support the research and organizations working towards the betterment of polar bears and other wildlife.
• Buy product from the companies that are using Eco-friendly methods.
• Educate your family and friends about wildlife and its conservation.

Some Polar Bear Facts To Know:

• Polar bears can hibernate partially.
• Polar bears are not albino.
• Polar bears are solitary. They do not hunt in groups.
• Polar bears do not hunt humans, generally, as they are not their natural prey. But there are various cases when they have killed humans.
• The polar bears move to land in summers, when the ice mass is thinner.
• Polar bears never eat penguins because polar bears live in the arctic region, while penguins live in the Antarctic region.
• Only female polar bears can be tracked. The neck of male polar bears is wider than their heads. So the collars that have to be tied on the necks, for tracking, fall off very easily. Hence, male polar bears cannot be tracked.