 To Hibernate - or Not to Hibernate Two species of bears are widespread in the Arctic - polar bears on the coasts and ice pack, and grizzly bears inland. Some major differences are: 1. Grizzlies (like other brown and black bears) eat as much as they can during the summer to build up fat. They have to live off their body fat while they hibernate through the winter. Polar bears spend the winter eating as much as they can to store up body fat for the summer. When the ice is gone, they can't hunt for seals, and they have to survive through a lean summer scrounging whatever they can find. 2. With the exception of pregnant females, polar bears don't hibernate - they use every available moment to hunt. Females dig a den and their cubs are born while they hibernate through the winter. 3. Grizzly bears are omnivores and eat things like berries, fish, caribou and hikers. Polar bears eat seals and tourists.
Click pictures for more information and credits. Library: Arctic, Polar Bears, Animals, Ice Links: Arctic, Arctic Animals Arctic Maps & Weather Reports |
|
DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
|
ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
|
ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
|
ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
|
GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |
to is the property of their respective owners, and Athropolis is not responsible for their content.