Polar Bears

Polar Bears are beautiful animals. I don't have any excellent pictures of this amazing creature; and none in it's natural habitat, so I won't post any pictures of my own this time. However, I wanted to call it to your attention because it was just recently listed as a threatened species in the US. This is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. It's good because it means this animal will be protected more then it would be. However, it's bad because this means that its population is not as stable, thanks to us humans. You can read more about this at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7401940.stm. Now for some polar bear facts, and a picture thanks to "First People - A huge site about American Indians."

• Male polar bears have reached a height of 10 feet, and a weight of 1400 pounds! Female polar bears get up to seven feet and 650 pounds.
• In their natural habitat, polar bears live about 25 years.
• "Despite what we think, a polar bear's fur is not white. Each hair is clear hollow tube. Polar bears look white because each hollow hair reflects the light."
• Polar bears have swum as long of a distance as 100 miles!
• Polar bears have a 2-4 inch thick layer of blubber. This blubber is used for keeping warm, and staying afloat.
• "Polar bears are mainly meat eaters, and their favorite food is seal. They will also eat walrus, caribou, beached whales, grass, and seaweed."
• They can run up to 25mph and swim up to 6mph!