Kids Edition | Polar Bears - Survival in a Changing Arctic

Polar bears are some of the most iconic and powerful animals on Earth, living in one of the harshest environments-the Arctic. These magnificent creatures have evolved perfectly to survive in the freezing cold, with their thick white fur and massive size making them easily recognizable.
Polar bears are large, powerful animals. Males can weigh anywhere from 900 to 1,600 pounds, while females usually weigh between 400 to 700 pounds.
While their fur appears white, it isn’t actually white at all. Instead, polar bears have translucent fur that reflects light, helping them blend into their snowy surroundings. Underneath their fur, however, their skin is black. This black skin serves a crucial purpose-it helps absorb and retain heat from the sun, and is essential for staying warm in the freezing Arctic temperatures.
This combination of black skin and white fur is one of the many ways polar bears are perfectly adapted to their environment. Beneath the fur, they also have a thick layer of fat that insulates them from the cold to survive temperatures as low as -50°F (-45°C). Their large paws, covered in fur, act like natural snowshoes, preventing them from sinking into deep snow, while the rough texture of their paw pads provides extra grip on icy surfaces.
As carnivores, polar bears mostly eat seals. Their primary hunting method is called "still hunting," where they wait by holes in the ice where seals come up to breathe. When a seal surfaces, the bear can strike quickly.
Polar bears are also fantastic swimmers. They use their large paws to paddle through the water, sometimes swimming for miles between patches of sea ice. In fact, polar bears are capable of swimming up to 60 miles in a single stretch, a skill that is becoming increasingly important as climate change melts sea ice. Without ice, they struggle to find food, and some even have to swim long distances to find land.
One remarkable feature of polar bears is their ability to fast (go without food) for several months. During warmer months, when hunting is difficult, they can survive without food for weeks or even months. Female polar bears often fast while giving birth and nursing cubs in dens made of snow.
Polar bears also have an incredibly strong sense of smell, capable of detecting seals from up to 20 miles away and even beneath several feet of snow. This helps them find food in the vast Arctic wilderness.
However, polar bears are an endangered animal and facing serious threats due to climate change. As the Arctic ice melts, their habitat is disappearing, forcing them to travel farther for food and sometimes putting them at risk of drowning. Their main prey-seals-also face climate-related challenges, making it harder for polar bears to survive. These challenges make the future of polar bears uncertain. They are well-adapted to their environment; however, the loss of ice and decreasing food supply are major threats.
Protecting polar bears requires protecting the Arctic, and fighting climate change is crucial to ensuring their survival. In addition, human development in the Arctic is increasing, putting polar bears at greater risk. Some polar bears have been seen scavenging near towns, which can lead to dangerous encounters with vehicles or other hazards.
Polar bears are truly magnificent creatures, perfectly adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth. Their strength, resilience, and unique abilities make them symbols of the Arctic.