Polar bears are marine mammals. They have thick fur and a thick fat layer under their skin to give them warmth. Polar bears appear to be white, but in reality, they are transparent. This is because their fur reflects the white light from the sun, making them look white like the ice and snow. When polar bears are born, they are approximately 1kg in weight. By the time they leave their dens, they are about 10-15kg. Adult female polar bears are normally about 100-250kg, and adult male polar bears are about 350-700kg. Polar bears defend themselves by using their strong teeth and jaw, their ability to smell a predator or pray from a distance, and their protective claws.
It is in the spring and early summer that polar bears seek out for mating partners. Males find females by following their sent. The bears are together for about a week before they separate and the male goes looking for another mating partner. Females start to mate around the age of 4 or 5, while males start a little later, at the age of 5 or 6.
Polar bears fall at the very top of the food chain in the biologically rich Arctic. They are the most carnivorous of the bear species, and they feed on ice-dependent seals. They use drifting ice to hunt the seals.
Polar bears fall at the very top of the food chain in the biologically rich Arctic. They are the most carnivorous of the bear species, and they feed on ice-dependent seals. They use drifting ice to hunt the seals.