Photos: Some good points about polar bear

1. Polar bears are the largest and longest species of bear. Males can measure up to 10 feet (3 meters) when standing on their hind legs.

2. Scientists believe that the polar bear evolved from a common brown bear ancestor about 200,000 years ago.

3. Even though they look white, a polar bear's fur is made of clear, hollow tubes filled with air.

4. Polar bears clean themselves by rolling in the snow.

5. They also cool off by rolling in the snow or taking a dip in chilly waters.

6. Polar bears are found in countries that ring the Arctic Circle-Canada, the US, Greenland, Russia, and Norway.

7. Polar bears have no natural enemies.

8. They can swim at speeds of up to 6 miles per hour (8 knots). In fact, their taxonomic name means "sea bear."

9. Polar bears have been known to swim more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) without rest in search for food. Unfortunately, that distance is increasing due to climate change.

10. When they aren't hunting, polar bears are resting up to 20 hours a day.

11. Polar bear cubs weigh a mere 1 pound (.45 kilograms) at birth. They are hairless and have their eyes closed, depending on their mother to keep them warm and fed.

12. Except for females with cubs, polar bears are solitary.

13. A polar bear's fat acts as a nutritional reserve and energy storage system when food can't be found. It also increases their buoyancy when they swim.

14. Because their habitat vanishes for a few months every year, polar bears have evolved one of the longest fasting periods of any animal.

Source: Zoonooz