| The polar bears (Thalarctos maritimus)
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| | crawl on their bellies until they are
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| live in the Arctic regions of the north
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| | close enough to rush their prey,
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| near open water where they can find their
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| | particularly if no cover is available.
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| main source of food which are seals.
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| | Besides seals, polar bears will eat
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| These bears are huge with adults at 7 to
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| | Arctic foxes, birds, baby walruses and
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| 8 ½ feet tall and up to 1,600 pounds.
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| | even man if they are extremely hungry.
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| Polar bears are white to creamy white all
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| | Males and females stay apart for most of
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| year round which gives them excellent
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| | the year except during the summer mating
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| camouflage against the Arctic snow when
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| | season. Females tend to breed only every
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| hunting. Along with the Arctic fox, the
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| | other year and when they do, usually 1 to
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| polar bear is the most northerly located
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| | 4 cubs are born during March to April.
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| land mammal on earth.
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| | The polar bear cubs stay with their
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| Unlike other species of bears, polar
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| | mothers for 1 to 2 years. The life span
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| bears have longer necks and smaller heads
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| | of polar bears can be up to 34 years.
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| making them appear more streamlined.
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| | The Inuit hunt polar bears for their fat,
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| Despite their large sizes, they are
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| | tendons and fur. Scientists say that
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| incredibly fast being able to run up to
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| | climate changes have been reducing the
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| 25 miles per hour. At speeds like this,
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| | ice floes in the Arctic which has
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| a polar bear can outrun a reindeer. They
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| | disrupted the polar bear's feeding
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| are also excellent swimmers being able to
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| | grounds and migration patterns. There
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| swim at about 3 miles per hour but for
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| | are estimates of about 22,000 to 25,000
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| considerable distances.
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| | polar bears left in the world with 60
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| During winters, they spend most of their
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| | percent of them in the Canadian Arctic
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| time on the ice floes hunting seals.
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| | region. Their populations are thought to
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| Polar bears have rough, leathery pads on
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| | be stable for now but some speculate that
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| the bottoms of their feet to maintain
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| | the species is at risk. Some think that
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| footholds on slippery ice surfaces.
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| | if climate changes continue at its
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| Their adaptation to the cold Arctic
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| | present rate and if worldwide hunting is
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| waters is even more impressive. Their
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| | not adequately controlled, polar bears
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| thick coats of fur traps a deep layer of
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| | could face extinction in about 100 years.
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| insulating air around their bodies. An
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| | There is presently much debate on
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| inner layer of fur is so compact that it
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| | adjusting annual hunting quotas of polar
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| is almost impossible to wet it. An outer
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| | bears, even for Inuit hunters, to further
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| layer of long guard hairs mat together in
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| | help protect these great bears.
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| the water which forms another layer over
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| | Polar bears have become the most popular
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| the inner layer. After a polar bear
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| | symbol of the Arctic north with
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| leaves the water, it simply shakes its
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| | representations used in everything from
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| body which results in most of the water
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| | soft drink commercials to corporate logos
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| being thrown right off leaving the bear
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| | of northern based companies including
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| almost dry. These protective layers of
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| | Canadian North airlines. Nunavut even
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| fur ensure that the polar bear's skin is
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| | has their license plates cut in the shape
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| kept dry most of the time, even while in
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| | of a polar bear. Tourists can see polar
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| the Arctic waters.
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| | bears in the wild through unique tours on
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| Polar bears hunt seals by waiting for
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| | specially designed tundra buggies in
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| seals to come through holes in the ice to
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| | Churchill, Manitoba Canada. It's also
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| breathe. They also stalk their prey
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| | not surprising that polar bears are some
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| utilizing their white camouflage
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| | of the most sought after Inuit art
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| abilities against the mounds of ice.
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| | sculptures. Polar bears are definitely
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| Sometimes polar bears have been known to
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| | the rulers of the Arctic north.
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