The Lives of Polar Bears

Polar bears are interesting animals. It is known that the fur of a polar bear is not white, but translucent. It is the light reflecting off of the fur that makes it look white. It is also known that the skin of a polar bear is black. However, what else is know about polar bears?

Hibernation

Polar bears hibernate during the winter. This is done in dens that may be under snow banks. The cubs are born in these dens and they do not see the outside world until it is time for the polar bears to stop hibernating. Once the polar bears come out of hibernation, the mothers teach the cubs. Life skills are taught, but mothers also teach the cubs how to have fun in the snow.

Male Polar Bears

Male polar bears are bigger than the female polar bears. They are also aggressive. If a female does not have cubs and is receptive to a male that wants to mate, the two bears will mate. However, some males may spot a female with cubs. If the male wants to mate with the female, the cubs may be in danger of the male polar bear killing them in order to mate with the mother.

Female Polar Bears

Female polar bears that are mothers are careful to avoid male polar bears. They will keep a wide distance between themselves and the male polar bears. If a female is single, a male polar bear may pursue her. She is likely to give him a challenge by doing something such as climbing rocks. Females are at an advantage when doing this because they are lighter. The reason these challenges are given is because females want to mate with a male polar bear that has good genes. The male may try to climb, but if he finds that challenge too difficult, he will most likely leave the female polar bear.

Diet

Polar bears mainly eat seals. However, if they are hungry, polar bears will eat almost anything. They have been known to eat any eggs or any birds. They have also been known to eat seaweed and even chew on pieces of net.

Lessons

Life lessons that mothers teach cubs are how to swim, how to avoid dangers, how to hunt, and how to roll to dry out their fur. Hunting takes great skill as a polar bear can be noisy when moving. Polar bears have to be careful to back into the water to not make noise when hunting. The prey, usually a seal, will hear the splash if a polar bear does not back slowly into the water.

Rolling in the snow helps to dry the fur coat. It may be fun, but it also presses out the water so the fur coat will dry. Avoiding dangers usually means keeping a wide distance between the danger and the bear.

Sometimes polar bears are not dangers to each other if there is plenty of food. A bear must approach another bear unaggressively and humbly. If the bear with the food is willing to share, it will be quiet and let the other bear approach. If not, it will either growl or show body language that it wants to be left alone.

Source:

Downer, J. (2011, April 17). Polar Bear: Spy on Ice [Television broadcast]. Lake Charles, LA: Discovery Channel.