February 27 - International Polar Bear Day

This is an automatic translation.
Click here to read the publication in the original language.

Every year on February 27, the International Polar Bear Day is celebrated around the world, or, as in the Russian version, just Polar Bear Day. The main purpose of the environmental date is to disseminate information about the polar bear and to draw public attention to the need to protect the largest land predator on our planet. For its implementation, environmental organizations and zoodefenders are preparing various public events and educational events. Many of them emphasize the need to solve the problem of melting polar ice - the main reason for the threat of extinction of polar bear populations. In addition to her, the life of white bears is threatened by the development of oil fields with subsequent environmental pollution.

The data obtained in recent years indicate that the polar bear entered the evolutionary path approximately 5,000,000 years ago. His ancestor was a brown bear, in contrast to which the polar bear perfectly adapted to life in the Far North, among sea ice.

According to scientists, today in the world there are approximately 20,000 - 25,000 individuals of the polar bear. Leading experts studying the bears published data that out of 19 polar bear subpopulations, eight decreased, three remained stable, and one increased. Data on the remaining seven subpopulations is still difficult to collect. At the same time, intense melting of ice in the Arctic, resulting from global warming, could lead to the disappearance of 2/3 of all polar bears by 2050.

First of all, today's date is significant for the five countries on whose territory populations of white bears live - Russia, Norway, Canada, Greenland and the USA (Alaska). The polar bear is listed in the International Red Book and in the Red Book of Russia. Indeed, the slow breeding and a high mortality rate of young animals make this beast easily vulnerable.

Polar bears can only be found in the Arctic latitudes, near the North Pole. In Antarctica, near the South Pole, polar bears do not live. Bears are very comfortable at an ambient temperature of minus 45 ºС and below. They are able to maintain and maintain the warmth of their body thanks to two layers of fur, a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, small sizes of ears and tail. It is safe to say that white bears are not cold even in severe frost, rather, on the contrary, they suffer from overheating of the body, especially when running for prey.

Adult male polar bears weigh about 350 - 550 kg. But there are especially large individuals with a body weight of more than 550 kilograms. The largest male polar bear recorded in the entire history of observing these animals weighed 1 ton! Female bears cannot boast of such records - on average they weigh 150 - 300 kg. Usually they have 2 cubs. But under favorable environmental conditions, a bear can have three cubs, and under unfavorable conditions only one cub. In any case, the cubs remain with their mother until they are 2.5 years old, learning to hunt and gaining the necessary survival skills in the harsh Arctic environment.

This is an automatic translation.
Click here to read the publication in the original language.