A powerful symbol of strength and endurance to the extreme cold, Polar Bears are the largest bears on Earth! International Polar Bear Day is tomorrow, 27th February, and this edition of Nature Nuggets is all about these impressive Arctic’s top predators.
Did you know Polar Bears have three eyelids? The third one helps protect their eyes from the glare of snow and ice! Dive into the latest edition of Nature Nuggets and learn more about these majestic animals!
As climate change continues to shrink the thickness of sea ice, the habitat and hence the future of polar bear is at risk.
As reported in the annual 2020 Arctic report, sea loss and extreme wildfires mark 2020 as the second-warmest year in the Arctic. Scientists have also reported that some populations of polar bears have already reached their survival limits as the sea ice reduces.
Watch this video to learn exactly how climate change and reduction of sea ice is affecting Polar bears. Will this majestic species go extinct by the end of this century?
Common Name: Polar Bear
Scientific Name: Ursus maritimus
Species of this edition is no surprise! Ursus maritimus means “sea-bear”. Well, It’s an appropriate name for this majestic species which spends much of its life in, around and on the ocean — predominantly on the sea ice.
Did you know polar bears have very large paws, almost the size of your dinner plates! This is because large paws evenly distribute their weight, so they don’t fall or slip through the sea ice.
Here’s another fun fact about polar bears: their milk is the fattest of any land mammals’. Yes, mamma polar bear’s milk is about 31% fat when cubs are born, providing enough calories to help cubs grow rapidly. The mother’s milk changes fat content and composition as cubs get older, becoming closer to 18% fat by the time the cubs celebrate their first birthday!
Click here to watch the life of baby polar bears in the big freeze.
Time to check your Nature Quotient!
Cubs stay with their mothers for a specific time period, learning as much as possible including how to navigate sea ice, when and where to migrate, how to hunt seals, how to avoid danger, and how to use their innate curiosity to learn new things!
How much time do the cubs have to learn everything about being a polar bear?
- 8-9 months
- 10-20 months
- 20-24 months
- 24-30 months
Answer to be revealed in our next edition!
Previous edition Answer: All of the above. Almonds, Cherries and Apples are all relatives of roses! They all belong to the family Rosaceae.
Congratulations to everyone who guessed it right!
Polar bear populations are increasingly at risk as our planet warms up and sea ice melts. They are among the top predators on the food web and hence, can signal that there are problems in the Arctic marine ecosystem.
Polar bears are likely to be among the most significantly affected species as
the Arctic warms and sea ice melts.
Click here to read what WWF is doing in Arctic to conserve Polar Bears.
Watch this video and learn how you can help save our frozen world.
Want to know how you can take a green turn and adopt a few changes in your lifestyle to reduce your impact on the planet and its health!?
Download our zero-waste manual and make the right choices in everyday life!
Did you know the pink of a flamingo’s feathers comes from the beta-carotenoid pigments present in some of the food they eat!
Join us on 27th February at Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida to watch and explore the beautiful world of our wetland friends.
Time: 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Fee: INR 400
To register, contact us at edu@wwfindia.net or call 9953501269.
Limited seats only!
Trails will be conducted will all safety and precautionary measures. Wearing a mask is mandatory for all participants.
