Polar bear brief information. Interesting facts about polar bears Description of the polar bear

Polar bear- the largest species of the bear family (Ursidae). In its homeland, in the Arctic, it is, without a doubt, the "king of beasts", which has practically no natural enemies. But what do we know about polar bears, except that they live in northern latitudes? This article will tell you in detail about the life and behavior of polar predators and help you understand what they really are, the rulers of the Far North?

Polar bears live in the ice of the circumpolar Arctic. There are about 20 populations that almost do not mix with each other and vary greatly in size - from 200 to several thousand individuals. The number of the entire world population is approximately 22-27 thousand animals.

The permanent residence of polar bears are coastal ice continents and islands, where the number of their main prey - the ringed seal - is quite high. Some individuals live among less productive multi-year ice in the central Arctic region. From the south, their distribution is limited by the southern boundary of the seasonal ice cover in the Bering and Barents Seas and in the Labrador Strait. In areas where the ice completely melts in the summer (Hudson Bay and southeast Baffin Island), animals spend several months on the coast, depleting their fat reserves until the water freezes.

Description and photo of a polar bear

The polar bear is the most major representative bear families. As an independent species, it was first described in 1774 by K. Phipps, receiving the Latin name Ursus maritimus, which means "sea bear" in translation.

Polar bears evolved from brown bears during the late Pleistocene period, the oldest find dating back 100 thousand years was discovered in the Royal Botanic Gardens in London.

The body length of males is 2-2.5 m, females - 1.8-2 m; the mass of males is 400-600 kg (especially well-fed individuals can weigh a ton), females - 200-350 kg.

In the photo, a polar bear jumps from an ice floe. Despite the massive body, these animals are surprisingly mobile. If necessary, they can swim for several hours, and on land they can cover up to 20 km in a day, although sometimes this leads to overheating.

Features of the structure are associated with living conditions in a harsh climate. The body of the polar predator is stocky; they do not have the raised withers characteristic of brown bears. Compared to other species, the polar bear's head is narrower and longer, with a flat forehead and long neck. The ears of the beast are small, rounded.

Thanks to thick wool and a thick layer of fat, polar predators feel quite comfortable at a temperature of -50°C. By nature, their wool white color; it serves as an ideal disguise for the beast. However, often the fur takes on a yellowish tint due to pollution and fat oxidation, especially in summer. Interestingly, with a white coat color, the animal's skin is dark. This feature serves as a natural battery for animals. solar energy, which is known to be in great short supply in their habitats.

The large, paddle-like front paws are excellent for swimming, and there are swimming membranes between the toes. Hind legs when swimming play the role of a steering wheel. Wide feet increase the footprint when walking on snow.

An interesting fact: despite the fact that outwardly polar and brown bears are very different, they are close relatives and in captivity can interbreed. A hybrid of such a cross is called grolar or pizzly.

Lifestyle of polar bears

Polar bears lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle; They stay in pairs only during the rutting season. Cases of their accumulation, sometimes up to several dozen individuals, in places where there is enough a large number of food are quite rare. Groups of polar predators are quite tolerant of each other's company while feeding on large prey, such as a dead whale. However, ritual battles or games are not uncommon, but each beast does not forget about its hierarchical status.

Animals lead a predominantly nomadic lifestyle, with the exception of time spent in dens. Dens are primarily used by females to give birth and feed their young. It is also a refuge for winter sleep, but animals hibernate for a short time and not every year.

How are lairs arranged?

The dens of breeding females can be divided into generic and temporary. In tribal she-bears bring offspring. The time of their stay in such dens is on average 6 months. The temporary lair serves breeding females for a short time - from 1 day to 2-3 weeks, and in isolated cases up to 1 month or more.

The birth lair consists of one or more chambers. The length of the chamber is on average from 100 to 500 cm, width - from 70 to 400 cm, height - from 30 to 190 cm, the length of the corridor varies from 15 to 820 cm. The inlet is often poorly visible from a distance of several meters.

Temporary dens differ from generic ones in terms of arrangement. Usually they are of a rather simple structure: with one chamber and a short (up to 1.5-2 m) corridor, as a rule, with completely “fresh” walls and a vault, and a slightly iced floor.

Depressions, pits and trenches without a vault and a distinct entrance are sometimes referred to as temporary lairs, but it would be more correct to call them shelters. Such shelters usually serve polar bears for a short time - from several hours to several days. They provide the animal with minimal comfort, such as shelter during bad weather.

In conditions of particularly severe weather (blizzard, frost), bears, in order to save energy, can lie down in temporary shelters for several weeks. The northern predator has one interesting physiological feature: While other bears can only hibernate in winter, our hero can hibernate at any time.

What does the lord of the north eat?

The ringed seal (ringed seal) in the diet of polar bears is food No. 1, to a lesser extent, the bearded seal becomes their prey (the beast catches it when it floats up to breathe). Animals hunt for seals, waiting for them near the “vents”, as well as at their breeding grounds on ice floes, where inexperienced cubs become easy prey for predators. The bear quietly sneaks up to the victim, then makes a sharp throw and plunges into the water. To expand small "vents", the beast breaks the ice with its front paws, using its impressive mass. Having immersed the front part of the body in the water, it grabs the victim with powerful jaws and pulls it out onto the ice. Bears can find the location of a seal's hole through a meter-long layer of densely packed snow; they go to her from a kilometer away, guided solely by smell. Their sense of smell is one of the most acute among all mammals. They also hunt walruses, beluga whales, narwhals, and waterfowl.

For the nutrition of hungry polar predators, sea emissions are essential: the corpses of dead animals, the waste of fishing for sea animals. A large number of bears usually accumulate near the carcass of a whale thrown ashore (photo).

The polar bear, being a typical carnivore, however, being hungry and not being able to hunt for its main prey - seals, can easily switch to other foods, including plant foods (berries, seaweed, herbaceous plants, mosses and lichens, branches of shrubs). This, apparently, should be regarded as an evolutionary adaptation of the species to harsh environmental conditions.

In one sitting, the beast is able to eat a very large amount of food, and then, if there is no prey, for a long time starve.

AT modern conditions an increase in the anthropogenic impact on ecosystems can lead to a deterioration in the food supply of the polar bear, forcing it to increasingly switch to secondary food, visit landfills in settlements, devastate warehouses, etc.

Eternal nomads

Constantly changing ice conditions force polar bears to regularly change their habitats, looking for areas where seals are more numerous and among the ice fields there are open or covered with young ice leads, channels and cracks that make it easier for them to prey. Such areas are very often confined to the shore ice zone, and it is no coincidence that many animals concentrate here in winter. But from time to time, the shore ice zone is completely closed due to pressure winds, and then the bears again have to migrate to other areas in search of more favorable hunting grounds. Still ice remains stable, and then only for the period of winter and the beginning of spring, but they are not everywhere suitable for the existence of seals, and consequently, polar bears.

In search of more suitable places for hunting, animals sometimes travel hundreds of kilometers. Therefore, their habitat varies significantly even during one season, not to mention inter-seasonal and annual differences. In the absence of territorialism in a polar bear, individual individuals or family groups develop a relatively small area for some time. But, as soon as the conditions begin to change dramatically, the animals leave such areas and migrate to other areas.

procreation

The mating season falls on April-May. Between males at this time there is a rather tense struggle for females.

Females are induced ovulators (they must mate many times over several days before ovulation and fertilization occur), and therefore pairs remain together for 1-2 weeks to successfully reproduce. In addition, polar bears are characterized by a delay in implantation until mid-September-October, depending on the latitude at which the animals live. After 2-3 months, cubs are born in most areas. It happens in a snowy lair. Babies are born weighing about 600 grams. At birth, their hair is so thin that it seems as if they are naked. Until the age of 7-8 months, the mother's milk is the basis of the nutrition of the cubs. This milk is very fat - 28-30%, but it seems to be separated in small quantities.

Sometimes the female bear leaves the den that has become "unfavorable" when the cubs are still weak. They move with difficulty and require constant care. If such a family is disturbed at this time, then the female, saving the cubs, carries them away in her teeth.

When the cubs reach a mass of 10-12 kg, they begin to accompany their mother everywhere. They freely follow her up the steep slopes, often playing games during their walks. Sometimes the games end in a fight, while the cubs roar loudly.

Some she-bears who went for a walk do a kind of gymnastics in the snow. They clean themselves against the snow, rub their muzzles against it, lie down on their stomachs and crawl, pushing off with their hind legs, slide down the slope in various positions: on the back, side or stomach. For adult bears, these are apparently hygienic procedures aimed at keeping the fur clean. In cubs that imitate their mother, this behavior also has a playful coloration.

The she-bear's training of the younger generation probably lasts as long as the family group persists. Imitation of the mother is already manifested when the babies are in the den, for example, burrowing activities. They also sometimes imitate her when eating plants.

Finally leaving the lair, the family goes to the sea. On the way, the female often stops to feed the cubs, sometimes she feeds herself, digging plants out from under the snow. If the weather is windy, she lies with her back to the wind; in deep enough snow, it digs a small hole or temporary lair. Then the families go into the ice. In the first half of May, females and cubs are sometimes still seen on land, but probably from among those who, for some reason, left their lair belatedly.

Females can breed once every 3 years, since the cubs stay with her for up to 2.5 years. For the first time, females become mothers, usually at the age of 4-5 years, and then give birth every 3 years until death. Most often, 2 bear cubs are born. The largest broods and the largest cubs are found in females aged 8-10 years. Young and old she-bears often have 1 cub each. There is evidence that adult females in natural conditions can change cubs or adopt cubs who have lost their mother for some reason.

The life expectancy of female polar bears is 25-30 years, males - up to 20 years.

Diseases, enemies and competitors

Among polar bears, such a dangerous intestinal-muscular invasive disease as trichinosis is widespread. Other diseases are very rare.

More often, they suffer from various injuries, including those inflicted in a fight with each other for possession of a female or food. But serious consequences for the population they don't have.

A polar bear can only compete with a person who hunts seals for skin, fur and meat, breaking the natural balance that has developed between predator and prey.

The wolf and arctic fox have a slight impact on the population, attacking and killing cubs.

Polar bears and man

Thanks to measures to protect polar predators, the risk of their extinction is low. Previously, they were considered a vulnerable species, but after the introduction of the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of the Polar Bear, the population has stabilized.

Provided that the hunting of northern bears is controlled, they are not threatened with destruction. However, there are fears that their numbers may decline due to the low rate of reproduction. They are shot mainly by the local population, whose representatives kill about 700 individuals per year. But the main danger for our heroes is climate warming and environmental pollution.

In the Arctic regions, due to population growth, the likelihood of a collision between a polar predator and a person has potentially increased. As a result, it creates conflict situation dangerous for both sides. Polar bears, however, cannot be considered aggressive towards humans, but there are exceptions. Most animals retreat when they meet a person, others do not pay attention to him. But there are those who pursue a person, especially if he runs away. Most likely, at this moment the instinct of persecution works in the beast. Therefore, to say that the polar bear is a completely harmless animal would be a dangerous delusion. The real threat is emaciated individuals. First of all, these are old animals that have lost the ability to successfully hunt for their usual food, as well as young ones that have not yet mastered hunting techniques to the proper extent. Females protecting their cubs also pose a considerable danger. The polar bear can also show aggression when it encounters a person unexpectedly or if it is being chased.

In contact with

Conservation Status: Vulnerable.
It is included in the Red Book of Russia and the Red Book
International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The polar bear is also called the "Sea Bear", in connection with the constant presence near the coast, as well as the strength and ability to swim perfectly. They have a thick layer of fat and a water-repellent layer that keeps out the icy air and cold water. These bears are considered talented and hardy swimmers, as they can withstand a pace of about 10 km / h for a long time. However, this species bear is in a vulnerable position, and this is due to global warming, affecting the habitat in a detrimental way - simply destroying it.

Description

Adult polar bears usually reach about 2 meters in length and half a ton in weight. Females are much lighter than males, which are almost twice their size. Polar bears are one of the few large mammals that live in such unfavorable conditions and are well adapted to life on the ice. They have thick and dense fur, consisting of a warm undercoat. The skin of a polar bear is black, and the hairs are in the form of transparent hollow tubes, the main purpose of which is absorption sunlight and keeping warm. Due to the black color of the skin, there is a maximum absorption of the sun's rays. Color can be white, yellow or green. Green color can form in hot climates, when algae start growing inside the coat. The body of the polar bear is strong and muscular, with wide front legs that help with swimming. There is fur on the soles of the paws, which not only keeps the feet warm, but also reduces the sliding force while moving on the ice. Compared to other types of bears, the white has a very long neck, allowing it to keep its head on the surface of the water while swimming. Also hallmarks compared to other bears, more elongated muzzles and small ears are considered.

area

Polar bears live on the icy shores surrounding North Pole south of Hudson Bay. About 60% of representatives of this species can be found in the northern part of Canada, and the rest - in Greenland, Alaska, Svalbard and Russia, where, as a rule, relatively small distances to the ocean. The polar bear population has rapidly declined due to the biggest threat to this huge predator - global warming, which has disrupted the natural habitat. Although polar bears are accustomed to seasonal changes, global warming it is very difficult for them to survive, because in summer time the ice begins to melt earlier than usual, and every year this process begins earlier, so the bears have less time to hunt on the ice. The total population of polar bears is divided into 19 units or subpopulations. Of these, 8 are in decline and the risk of further decline in the future is highly assessed due to habitat change.

Hunting

The polar bear is a solitary animal that can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h on land and about 10 km/h in water, this essential ability makes it one of the best predators. It hunts on ice and water, and is known to be able to swim long distances in the open ocean for food. To catch your prey polar bear dives under water, while leaving his eyes open, and his breath can hold for about two minutes. On land, they hunt using two main methods: either sneaking up and then attacking, or waiting for prey near the breathing ring in the ice for many hours. Polar bears spend more than 50% of their time hunting, but about two percent of these hunts can be called successful.

Food

Considered the largest carnivorous mammal, the polar bear must be hunted regularly in order to eat well and maintain an insulating layer of fat deposits to keep the body warm. The hide and blubber of ringed seals make up the bulk of their diet, and they often leave leftover meat, which is an important source of food for other animals such as. The diet mostly consists of ringed seals (seals) and bearded seals (sea hares). Although body fat is very important for a bear, polar bears can also eat birds, berries, fish, deer (especially in summer months), as well as walruses and even whales. Carcasses from large marine mammals are a regular food source for polar bears. As you know, bears of this species can tear open the underground burrows of seals and hunt their cubs. Eating seals is considered vital to the survival of the polar bear, as it can provide the predator with a high amount of energy. They have a layer of fat up to 10 centimeters. During the short Arctic summer, polar bears are forced to move farther north as the ice recedes and the opportunity to eat well disappears.

reproduction

Mating usually falls on spring months(April May). The gestation period lasts about 9 months, at the end of which the female gives birth to 1 to 4 cubs. The offspring is born in dens dug by the female in the snow or earth, the temperature in which is 40 degrees higher than outside. Bear cubs are born hairless, blind and weighing just over half a kilogram. The females are with the babies until the severe winter frosts stop in the spring. Although babies begin to eat from 5 months of age, the period breastfeeding lasts until they reach 2-3 years of age. As you know, cubs can arrange play fights among themselves, which include fighting and hunting, along with baring teeth and even biting each other, while doing absolutely no harm. These games have essential for little cubs, as they learn to fight and defend themselves, which will come in handy as soon as they leave their mother and become completely independent.

Threats

The survival and protection of the polar bear's habitat are topical issues to date. Due to the fact that the polar bear is strong and ferocious predator, there are no animals that hunt them in . As a rule, conflicts arise between representatives of the stronger sex, fiercely protecting their females and cubs. Today, humans are the biggest threat to the bear population.

The number of polar bears, from the 1600s to the mid-1970s, was significantly reduced due to constant hunting. Thanks to the establishment of international hunting bans, the population gradually began to increase. In addition to the receding ice, which is critical to the survival of the polar bear, caused by climate change, the drilling of gas and oil wells, increased shipping and industrial emissions are also having a negative impact. chemical substances that pollute the water. The polar bear has relatively low speed reproduction, which means not only a rapid decline in the population, but also not a fast enough growth to maintain the number at the required level. Some experts argue that the polar bear may become extinct in wild nature in the next 30 years.

Polar bears are one of the most majestic animals in the world. Close relatives of brown bears, however, they are much less studied and therefore more interesting.

What do polar bears look like?

The polar bear is the second largest land animal in terms of size and mass. More than him - only sea ​​Elephant. The largest bears reach three meters in length and weigh one ton.

The standard body length of an adult male is from two to two and a half meters, weight is 400-450 kilograms.

Females are smaller and weigh up to 300 kg.

Compared to its brown relative, the polar bear has a flatter head and long neck. Its fur is not always white - in summer it gives off yellowness.

Due to the special structure of the hairs (they are hollow inside), the polar bear has good thermal insulation.

Bears keep well on the ice, thanks to fur-lined paws. And in the water they are helped by swimming membranes between the fingers.

In nature, sometimes polar grizzlies are found - half-breeds, obtained from the union of polar and brown bears. But this phenomenon is rare: representatives different types dislike and avoid each other. To date, there are three recorded cases of crossing.

Hybrids have a mixed color, closer to brown, but lighter than usual.

These animals can live from 25 to 30 years. In captivity, this period increases, today the maximum life expectancy of a polar bear is 45 years.

Where do polar bears live

Polar bears are called polar bears for a reason. Their habitat is the northern hemisphere, polar regions. They also live on the mainland, in the tundra zone.

Bears inhabit the north up to the southern border of their habitat - the island of Newfoundland.

In Russia, they can be found from Franz Josef Land to Chukotka. Synod bears go deep into the mainland or get to Kamchatka on floating ice.

What do polar bears eat

Polar bears are predators. Moreover, they hunt in the water: these animals are excellent swimmers and can spend a lot of time in the sea or ocean. Thick skin and subcutaneous fat (its thickness can reach 10 centimeters) is an excellent insurance against the cold.

In the water, bears are much more dexterous and mobile, therefore they represent serious danger for sea animals. These majestic animals can move over great distances. A record of 685 kilometers was recorded: the bear that set it was looking for a hunting place.

In hunting, bears also contribute a lot to natural coloring and excellent hearing.

Along with fish, they also feed on the inhabitants of the waters: walruses, sea hares, seals.

The polar bear is a cunning hunter. He attacks most often because of an ambush, often arranging it at the hole and stunning the leaning prey.

Sometimes bears turn over ice floes, on which seals make rookeries.

Walruses are hunted only on land: in the water it is more difficult for bears to cope with these animals.

How polar bears raise babies

During her life, one she-bear brings no more than 15 cubs. Females rarely give birth, once every two or three years.

The mating season is from March to June, and in October, expectant mothers begin to prepare the lair. And for this they have favorite places. Most of the bear dens made by females were recorded on Franz Josef Land and on Wrangel Island.

Bears are loners by nature, so the mother gives birth and raises the babies alone. They are born in the middle of winter or towards its end, but the mother remains in hibernation all this time.

Bears, along with grown-up babies, are born in April.

Up to a year and a half, the cubs remain in the care of their mother and all this time they feed on her milk. Together with the cubs, the she-bear leads a nomadic lifestyle.

Today on Earth there are quite a lot of species of animals that require special attention for the reason that they are becoming rare and in the near future they may be threatened with extinction. Animals such as polar bears are also included in this group. The Red Book is designed to keep records of rare species and some of its pages are dedicated to the polar bear.

Habitats of polar bears

This species of animals is interesting already because its representatives live in places that are not very suitable for life. We are talking about the Arctic with its harsh climate. Low temperatures air, long winter, polar nights did not become an obstacle for the polar bear.

The expanses of the Arctic Ocean with its lifeless islands, the northern margins of Eurasia and North America- the place where the polar bear lives.
The Red Book, various encyclopedias and many other sources, providing information about this animal, indicate its significant difference from other types of bears living on the planet. Even its name can indicate certain features of an animal. From the language of some peoples or scientific sources, it is known that the animal is called differently - sea, northern, polar bear.

Paths of evolution

Scientists have long believed that the ways in which white and brown bear diverged approximately one hundred and fifty thousand years ago. And it happened in the area of ​​​​the planet that modern Ireland occupies. But the data of recent studies have forced to change this point of view. Today, science says that the separation of species happened much earlier - on average, about six hundred thousand years ago. Over this long period, the animals developed differences not only in habitat, nutritional conditions, but also in appearance, although the genetic material indicates that these animals once had a common ancestor.

The sad fact is that all bears today are the White Himalayan and other species of these unique animals need the protection that only a person can give them. Although, it was he who became the main reason for the reduction in their numbers on Earth.

You can learn everything about the polar bear, as well as its relatives, on the pages of numerous publications, which contain research by scientists, stories of people who met these unique and at the same time very dangerous animals in nature.

I must say that the meeting did not always end happily, without sad consequences, if a man and a polar bear became its participants. The Red Book therefore appeared because people sometimes tried to prevent the actions of a predator and destroyed it before it itself attacked a person or his home. But the actions of people were not always reasonable enough, and as a result, this led to a reduction in the number of polar bears.

Appearance and structural features of the body

A flat head is the main difference between a polar bear and a brown bear in body structure. The limbs of the animal have a pillar-like appearance. The feet are very wide. This helps the bears move through deep snow without falling through. Due to the special structure of the feet and the fact that they are covered with hair, polar bears can easily move on the icy surface. Despite their huge body weight, they easily overcome hummocks up to two meters high.

The color of the bear's skin is black, and the skin has a color from white to yellowish. The bear's fur acquires this color in summer period when the sun's rays are most strongly felt.

Types of polar bears

Animal species living in different regions of the vast territory of the Arctic have differences among themselves. The largest polar bears live on the islands. Some individuals weigh about 1000 kilograms with a body length of up to three meters.

Most of the existing species of polar bears reach 450 kilograms of weight with a height of about two meters. Females are slightly smaller than males. Their weight averages about 300 kilograms.

Habitats of the smallest representatives of these formidable animals, which are polar bears. The Red Book took everything under protection existing species bears living in the Arctic.

Adaptation to life in the Arctic

Special care for the owner icy deserts shows Polar bear lives only in the Arctic, most of which belongs to the Russian state. In addition, polar bears are found on the mainland of Eurasia in the zone of icy deserts.

In other places of the Earth, the polar bear does not live. There are cases when animals on ice floes got into warmer climatic conditions and that gave them a lot of trouble.

How did the animal adapt to such harsh living conditions in the Arctic? First, the body is covered with thick fur. Secondly, the structure of the hairs helps to retain air in them, which makes the fur warmer. A significant layer of fatty tissue also saves the animal's body from hypothermia. In the most severe time of the year, its thickness is about ten centimeters.

With such thermal insulation, bears are not afraid of storms, or severe frosts, or the icy water of the ocean and northern seas. Polar bears are excellent swimmers. In search of prey, they can swim up to 80 kilometers a day. In this they are helped by the special structure of the paws, between the fingers of which there are membranes. When swimming, the limbs of the animal work like flippers.

What is the food of the northern bear

The polar bear is a predator, so it eats the meat of animals that live next to it. The bear hunts both in water and on land. With smaller animals, such as seals, the predator can easily cope in the water. He stuns the victim with a paw blow and pulls it out onto the ice.

A polar bear can compete with a walrus only on land. The skin of a killed animal and fat are the main delicacy for a predator. If there is no severe hunger, then the bear leaves the meat intact, it is eaten by other smaller predators.

Reasons for the decline in the number of animals

Any person, if he tries to find out everything about the polar bear, will easily find information that one bear in her life is capable of giving birth to no more than fifteen cubs. When feeding the offspring, the death of the young is inevitable - the harsh living conditions make themselves felt. Comparing these two facts, it is easy to assume that it is possible to reduce the number of animals for natural reasons.

To this we must add the facts of illegal hunting, the object of which is increasingly becoming polar bears. The Red Book of our country and other countries of the world is trying to stop the process of reducing the number of these animals.

Animals of the Red Book of the Russian Federation

The polar bear, along with other animals, has been under state protection since 1956. On the territory of Russia, hunting for it is completely prohibited. In countries such as Canada, USA, it is limited.

For the population living in the northern regions of the Earth, polar bears have long been the object of hunting. The Red Book of states interested in the conservation of animal populations has tried to change the situation.

The meat and skin of bears, for the sake of which their destruction was going on, in modern world are not the only source of food available to humans, the material used for home improvement, clothing manufacturing. Therefore, bear hunting has ceased to be seen as a necessity. It qualifies as poaching and is punishable by law.

As a result of the measures taken, a rare animal, the polar bear, was saved. The Red Data Book published a description of the size and species of the population in 1993. By this time, not only the recovery of individuals was noted, but also small stature the number of animals.

Today, we still have a chance to see a polar bear in the wild, whether it's a TV show on Discovery or an exotic trip to its habitats. natural habitat. But it is likely that our children will be deprived of such an opportunity. Whatever happens in the lessons of the world around us, students primary school study the animals of the Red Book of Russia.

Children learn that many species of animals are endangered, how fragile animal world, you need to save this beautiful world nature.

Message around the world on the topic "Animals of the Red Book of Russia - a polar bear"

Polar bear - a short description for children

from the cycle "Animals of the Red Book of Russia"

The polar bear is one of the largest predators living on land. Its height at the withers (from the ground to the neck) is 1.5 m, the length is 2-2.5 m, the size of the foot is 30 cm in length and 25 in width; polar bear males weigh 350-650 kg, some even more, females 175-300 kg. The maximum life expectancy is 25-30 years, rarely more. With its size, it surpasses all predators in the world. But such dimensions do not prevent the animal from deftly moving through the snow, swimming and diving.

Polar bear coat color winter time snow white. With the advent of heat, the coat becomes yellowish. Also, thanks to fat reserves, the bear is perfectly kept afloat. The polar bear, like every predator of this size, must have a dangerous weapon. These are powerful jaws and strong claws.

Polar bear habitat

White bears all year round associated with drifting and landfast sea ​​ice where seals are hunted - ringed seal and, to a lesser extent, sea ​​hare. If bears come to land, then, as a rule, not for long. The exceptions are pregnant females, which lie in dens for up to six months, and in some years, bears, for one reason or another, remained on land for several weeks.

For a polar bear, you need to be near the sea. Therefore, he spends his life near the ice-covered Arctic seas. This predator is mainly distributed in the Arctic Ocean, Hudson and Baffin Bays, in the north of the Bering Sea and on the Arctic islands.
White bears lead a nomadic lifestyle. Sometimes they are transported over long distances.

What do polar bears eat

The main prey of bears are seals, which predators lie in wait near the holes. When the seal sticks its head out, the polar bear throws the animal out with a powerful blow. Uses only bacon and seal skin. Only in times of famine can eat the whole carcass.
In addition to seals, polar bears feed on fish, chicks, and carrion. Can prey on large animals such as walruses.

In summer, it can consume cloudberries, algae, willow shoots and sedge leaves.

The main reasons for the decline in the number of polar bears:

For polar bears, the main natural limiting factor is the abundance and availability of seals.

Under natural conditions, the polar bear is not threatened by anyone except humans. A big threat to polar bears is poachers who can hunt cubs.

Climate change is a big threat. because of sharp decline temperature, the ice cover began to decrease. This led to a decrease in the population of seals, walruses, which are the basis of polar bears' food. For these reasons, the protection of this animal is of great importance.

Although the polar bear is the most large predator on Earth, thanks to man, his species is endangered. Therefore, the polar bear is listed in Red Book and is under protection. It is also listed in the international red book. Harvesting of polar bears in the Russian Arctic has been banned since 1956.

Conservation of polar bear populations in the Russian Arctic, the organization of a special protection regime in places of concentration of family lairs (Wrangel and Herald Islands and Franz Josef Land) contributed. In order to improve the protection of polar bears, the following measures are proposed:

Expand the area of ​​the Wrangel Island Reserve;

Organize specially protected natural areas and water areas in the areas of Novaya Zemlya and Severnaya Zemlya;

Introduce stricter time limits on economic activity in areas of concentration of polar bears in the ice and in places of their occurrence in dens;

Implement preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of polar bears appearing in settlements and attacking humans (remove or move as far as possible the landfills from food waste, places for cutting sea animals and fish;

It is more reliable to isolate food stores and warehouses from animals;

Equip district environmental inspectorates with sets of immobilizing equipment that can be used to catch and remove bears that have entered the territory at a safe distance locality, and etc.).

The polar bear breeds regularly in the zoos of Kazan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Perm, Rostov-on-Don.