Polar Bear

Wild Menu

Ursus maritimus

Polar bears, marine mammals, are the largest land carnivore that has adapted to the cold, with their thick, translucent fur. Their black skin absorbs heat from the sun, helping it to stay warm and their long, guard hair stick together when wet, forming a waterproof barrier to keep them dry. Adult Polar bears need an average of 4.4 lbs. of fat per day to maintain their average weight of 1,100- 1,150 lbs. Their diet includes: seals, walruses, narwhals, beluga whales, fish, reindeer, birds, eggs, berries, and kelp. With their partially webbed front paws, Polar bears are strong swimmers and are capable of reaching speeds of 25 mph on land. Because Polar bears are very nomadic, they will travel about 15 miles a day. About 3,000 to 5,000 Polar bears can be found in Alaska, having a lifespan typically of 15-18 years. In the United States, Polar bears are located in two Alaskan populations: the Chukchi/ Bering Seas of western Alaska and the Beaufort off Northern Alaska. Because the Polar bear is at the top of the arctic food chain, it is very sensitive and susceptible to changes in the Arctic ecosystem. Changes in climate and its impact upon sea ice where the bears live, hunt, and breed, or the dangerous contaminates accumulating in their body fat, have all contributed to the decline of the Polar bear. Global warming gases, such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, are sadly warming the Arctic.

Vulnerable

Teshekpuk Lake is one of the most important areas in the entire Arctic. It is the most significant goose-molting area in the Arctic and home to many other wildlife animals. Global warming has been very pronounced in Alaska and other parts of the Arctic, with average winter temperatures rising as much as 5.4 to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 6 decades. In addition, salty sea water has contaminated freshwater lakes, affecting migratory birds, caribou, bears, fox, and other wildlife populations with the collapse of the coastline into the sea.

WWF focuses on keeping oil and developments out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.