polar bears eat depend on __________, which are captured only on __________. course hero

What do polar bears depend on?

sea icePolar bears depend on sea ice for their existence and are directly impacted by climate change–serving as an important indicator species. By 2040, scientists predict that only a fringe of ice will remain in Northeast Canada and Northern Greenland when all other large areas of summer ice are gone.

How do polar bears capture food?

Polar bears hunt seals by waiting for them to come to the surface of sea ice to breathe. When the seal nears the surface, the polar bear will bite or grab the seal and pull it onto land to feed. They also eat walruses and whale carcasses.

How are polar bears captured?

Because bears move over such a large area and because they travel on variable sea ice, they are difficult to trap. Instead, finding and darting bears from a low-flying helicopter is the most common capture method.

What do polar bears eat?

ringed sealsPolar bears feed primarily on ringed seals, but will also eat bearded seals, harp seals, hooded and harbor seals, when available. Larger prey species such as walrus, narwhal and beluga are occasionally hunted. Polar bears will readily scavenge on marine mammal carcasses.

Where do polar bears find food?

Stalking. In early summer, polar bears obtain much of their food by stalking seals basking in the sun. The bear will spot his prey and creep upon it in silence, its translucent fur camouflaging the predator against the ice and snow.

How do polar bears find food and water?

Polar bears get their food with different hunting techniques. They stay close to holes in the ice and wait for seals to breathe before grabbing them. They also use a stealth technique to sneak up on seals from behind.

How much do polar bears eat?

A polar bear can devour up to 150 pounds of food in one sitting but must capture a seal once every five to six days to maintain its body weight.

What do polar bears eat for kids?

Polar bears are carnivores and are the top hunters in their Arctic habitat. They need a lot of fatty food to survive and their favorite snack is a seal. They also eat carcasses of animals like narwhals, walruses, whales, reindeer, and will eat kelp and even garbage, if necessary, to stay alive.

Do polar bears eat plants?

When other food is unavailable, polar bears will eat just about any animal they can get, including reindeer, small rodents, seabirds, waterfowl, fish, eggs, vegetation (including kelp), berries, and human garbage.

What is a polar bears food chain?

Polar bears are the keystone species, tertiary consumers that help keep the food web in balance. And tertiary consumers, top of the food chain, in the Arctic ecosystem. They mainly eat seals, but sometimes whales and baby walruses. Since polar bears are a keystone species, they keep the ecosystem in balance.

How do bears eat?

The bear is omnivorous. Its diet consists of berries, grain, fish, insects, birds and mammals. The bear will hunt deer and moose and also feed on carcasses. However, a majority of the bear's diet, around 70%, consists of something other than meat.

Do polar bears eat snow?

To get drinking water the polar bears would have to eat snow, or eat specific bits of icebergs (sea ice and sea water are too salty and would make them thirstier than they started out). Eating snow or ice would lower the polar bear's body temperature, which is not a good idea.

Do polar bears dive for food?

Polar bears are known to dive underwater for short periods of time in order to hunt seals and other food sources, but one of these creatures recently shattered all known diving records for this species.

Do polar bears have characteristics that help them find and capture food?

Out on the ice, a polar bear has several methods for finding and catching seals. The polar bear is keenly adapted to this habitat, with a sharp nose, stealthy stalking ability, sharp teeth, small head, a long neck and jaw, and a physiology suited for infrequent but large meals. Keen sense of smell.

Do polar bears swim for food?

Polar bears, some of the most iconic creatures in the world regularly walk and swim great distances to find food, which is scarce in the frozen wastelands. Now, a new study published in the journal Ecography found that polar bears go to greater and greater lengths to secure the food they need.

Are polar bears carnivorous?

Polar bears are widely considered to be carnivores as their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals. However, during summer months when they cannot hunt seals, polar bears have been known to eat algae, berries, and eggs alongside their normal meat-based diet, so some experts call them hypercarnivores.

What do polar bears eat?

Polar bears also eat eggs, juvenile walruses, young beluga whales, carrion, crabs, shellfish, reindeer, rodents, and sometimes other polar bears.

Is a polar bear carnivorous?

While many bears are omnivorous, polar bears are almost exclusively carnivorous. Seals are their primary prey. The bears can smell seals from up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) away and buried beneath 3 feet (0.9 meters) of snow. The most common hunting technique is called still-hunting. A bear locates a seal's breathing hole by smell, waits for the seal to surface, and drags it onto the ice with a forepaw to crush its skull with powerful jaws.

How to tell if a polar bear is brown or white?

Polar bears are easily recognizable by their white fur, which yellows with age. Each hair on a polar bear is hollow, and the skin beneath its fur is black. Compared to brown bears, polar bears have an elongated body and face.

What is the difference between a polar bear and a brown bear?

Each hair on a polar bear is hollow, and the skin beneath its fur is black. Compared to brown bears, polar bears have an elongated body and face. With their small ears and tails and short legs, polar bears are adapted to life in the Arctic cold. Their large feet help to help distribute weight on ice and snow.

How big is a polar bear?

While both sexes look alike, males are about twice the size of females. An adult male ranges from 7.9 to 9.8 feet in length and weighs 770 to 1500 pounds. The largest male polar bear on record weighed 2209 pounds.

How much does a polar bear weigh?

An adult male ranges from 7.9 to 9.8 feet in length and weighs 770 to 1500 pounds. The largest male polar bear on record weighed 2209 pounds. Females measure 5.9 to 7.9 feet in length and weigh between 330 to 550 pounds. However, females can double their weight when pregnant.

Where do polar bears live?

In fact, they can live as far south as Newfoundland Island. Polar bears are found in five countries: Canada, the United States (Alaska), Denmark (Greenland), Norway (Svalbard), and Russia.

What do polar bears eat?

Polar bears primarily prey upon bearded, ringed, hooded and harp seals, but they also hunt walruses, sea birds and small mammals. Because of their strong sense of smell, polar bears are also excellent scavengers, consuming significant amounts of carrion and human refuse.

What are the threats to polar bears?

Polar bears are a species classified as vulnerable to extinction. The primary threats to the bears are habitat destruction and climate change. Hunting was historically detrimental, but as of 2014, it's heavily restricted in most areas. ADVERTISEMENT.

Do polar bears have predators?

Polar bears are the largest terrestrial carnivores in the world, reaching up to 1,760 pounds. As such, they have no predators other than humans and each other. While cannibalism is somewhat rare, it does occur from time to time.

Description

Habitat and Distribution

Diet and Behavior

• While many bearsare omnivorous, polar bears are almost exclusively carnivorous. Seals are their primary prey. The bears can smell seals from up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) away and buried beneath 3 feet (0.9 meters) of snow. The most common hunting technique is called still-hunting. A bear locates a seal's breathing hole by smell, waits for the seal...

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Reproduction and Offspring

Conservation Status

Sources