Compare And Contrast The Adaptations Of A Polar Bear

For animals, being able to adapt in nature is a matter of life and death. Through evolution and natural selection, animals have acquired behavioral and physical traits called adaptations that enable them to acquire food, escape predators and attract mates. The cheetah has the speed necessary to run down its prey, monarchs secrete a poison that deters predators from feasting on it and the hummingbird has a very long tongue for extracting nectar from flowers. These are some of the more obvious adaptations. However, if we take a closer look, we see that all organisms have several adaptations for living and surviving in their environment. The polar bear is a great example of adaptation. This bear is very different from its cousins to the
It has very thick, transparent fur, which makes the bear appear white. This helps the bear camouflage against the ice and snow. The Polar bear also has large canines for tearing the flesh of seals, fish and whale carcasses. Because it spends so much time in the water, the Polar Bear is considered a marine mammal. Consequently, you would expect it to have adaptations for swimming. It absolutely does. The Polar bear has several adaptations that enable it to swim. Its front paws are wide and slightly webbed to help propel it through the water. These larger than normal paws also act like snowshoes and help the bear walk over snow and ice without slipping or sinking. The Polar bear can even dive to find food and has been observed diving to depths of up to 6 feet. Once out of the water, special oils in its fur helps it dry quickly to reduce heat loss. The Polar bear has other adaptations that keep it warm as well. It has very thick skin and an extra layer of insulating fat which can be over 4 inches thick. It also has smaller ears and tail than other species of bears which reduces heat loss. A Polar bear is actually more likely to overheat than to