By Staff Writer: Jerri Clewis
Beginning on October 29th, Polar Bear Week will kick off and last until November 4th to celebrate these incredible animals and learn more about their struggles in a changing world.
Polar Bears International, the only organization to focus solely on wild polar bears, created the week to help raise awareness and draw attention to the effects of a warming arctic each year, the group explains on their website. The awareness week presents an opportunity for the group to raise funds to underwrite coexistence efforts and support other conservation efforts across the Arctic. They will also be including live events and challenges for those interested in their efforts.
The dates of Polar Bear Week coincide with the annual gathering of polar bears near Churchill, Canada, where about a thousand migrate from July to November. Polar bears summer in the area and wait for winter to freeze the Hudson Bay, enabling them to set about hunting ringed seals, according to National Geographic. It’s the perfect time for people to learn more about these unique bears and their lifestyles in the Arctic.
In honor of the upcoming week, enjoy these fun facts about polar bears!
· The Latin name for polar bears is “Ursus maritimus,” or rather “sea bear.” They are also classified as marine mammals.
· They can swim for long periods of time. Scientists have even recorded one polar bear swimming for more than nine days, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
· Polar bears are carnivorous and depend on fat to survive. Their diet largely consists of seals to meet that need.
· They are prone to overheating and enjoy napping.
· Their fur is translucent and only appears to be white because the hairs reflect light.
· Polar bears have interacted with grizzly bears, leading to rare cases of hybrids sometimes nicknamed “grolar bear” or “pizzly bear.”
· A newborn polar bear weighs only just a few pounds but by adulthood they will weigh over 1,000 pounds! A full-grown male alone can weigh more than 1,700 pounds.
· Unlike many bears, polar bears don’t den unless pregnant and preparing for cubs.