Monday, April 13, 2009

Welcome!!


Hello everyone! I hope you find this blog interesting.


The future of Polar bears is a prominent topic in today's news. Every so often, you will see big articles written like, Is there a future for Polar Bears? or Is Global Warming Hurting the Polar Bears? The Bears have received much press. Even news magazines such as TIME and NEWSWEEK have picked up on the topic. Many people are worried about not only the Polar Bears, but of other creatures that may have the same fate: extinction.


So, for those of us who do not really know what a Polar Bear is, let me give you a few facts that I will dig deeper into throughout the blog.


Scientific name: Ursus maritimus (6)
Size: 7 to 8 feet long (1)
Weight: 900 to 1600 pounds (1)
Age: live 20 to 30 years (1)
Location: icy Arctic areas (ex. Greenland, Russia) (2)
The Polar Bear's anatomy is built for the icy weather. Their skin (actually black) is the closest to their body. Next, they have a thick layer of fat (blubber) helps keep the body warm. The third layer is its fur (2.5 to 5 inches thick) to insulate them. (1)

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4 comments:

  1. Dr. GoetzApril 14, 2009 at 9:51 AM

    This seems like a good introduction to polar bears. However, you need to cite the references for the information within the text of your post.

    What do polar bears eat?

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  2. AlexApril 15, 2009 at 10:08 AM

    I really liked the beginning of your blog how you introduced it with a quote from an article. Made it really interesting. What about how many cubs they have?

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  3. Kate MApril 15, 2009 at 10:16 AM

    To Dr. Goetz: Polar Bears mainly eat ringed and bearded seals, though it does depend on the location. Sometimes polar bears, on occasion, kill beluga whales and young walruses. When this food is unavailable, the bear will eat most anything, including small rodents, reindeer, berries, and even human garbage.

    To Alex: Thanks! As for your question, usually, Polar bears have 2 cubs in a litter, during the mothers' age of four and eight. It takes eight months for the cub to reproduce. During their lifetime, they will only have about 4 or 5 litters.

    ReplyDelete
  4. emereApril 22, 2009 at 9:01 PM

    I never knew their skin was black, i wonder if that was an adaptation to the cold.

    ReplyDelete

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