Polar Bear Adaptations

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Polar Bear Adaptations
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Adaptations are characteristics that help an
organism to survive in its environment and/or
reproduce.
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Adaptations can be physical or behavioral, but
all are involved with survival in an environment.
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Physical Adaptations

• Feathers, fur and insulation
• Body shape
• Color
• Protection

Well look at each of these in more detail on the
following slides.
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Feathers, Fur and Insulation
One of the ways that animals are protected from
weather conditions is through insulating
feathers, fur or fat. The majority of tundra
birds and mammals found in the Northern USA and
Canada actually have 2 coats. Outer coats are
generally water repellent, while inner coats
generally trap and hold warm air. Many mammals
from this area also have thick layers of blubber
to keep them warm when temperatures are cold.
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Body Shape
Many tundra birds and mammals are larger and have
smaller appendages than similar species in warmer
climates. This body plan allows more heat to
remain within the animal where it belongs, and
less heat to escape into the environment.
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Color
Color is a tremendous benefit for many animals of
the wild. For example, the artic fox and hare
turn white in winter so they are camouflaged in
the snow. In the beginning of summer, they shed
their white coat and it is replaced with a brown
one so that it may more easily blend in with a
forest environment.
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Protection

• Many animals have unique adaptations to protect
  them from predators, or to help to get food.
• Deer, elk and caribou have antlers that can be
  used for defense from enemies. Others may have
  hard outer coverings that serve as protection.
• How do the polar bears large feet help him?

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Adaptations may be behavioral as well as physical.
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Behavioral Adaptations

• Hibernation
• Protection
• Caching
• Migration
• Shelter
• We will discuss these more in depth over the next
  few pages.

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Hibernation
To avoid adverse weather conditions, some animals
hibernate, or become dormant during the periods
of worst weather. The black bear can withstand
up to 100 days without eating, drinking,
defacating, urinating or exercising
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Protection.
Most animals can protect themselves on a physical
and behavioral level.
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Caching
The act of storing food for the winter is known
as caching. Many animals, especially rodents,
store food for the winter. Moose and bear also
store fat in their bodies to prepare for a long
winter.
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Migration
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Migration
Many animals and birds migrate to more moderate
climates during the winter. The arctic tern is
known to migrate 22,000 miles on a yearly
migration from their arctic breeding grounds to
their wintering grounds in the Antarctic.
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Migration
Although some animals travel long distances to
accommodate their needs, some animals like
mountain goat and elk migrate locally. This
means that they will go to lower elevations on
the mountain(s) in which they live.
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Shelter
Many animals rely on living under the snow for
protection. Snow crystals trap air and are
therefore excellent insulators. Amazingly,
temperatures under 7 inches of unpacked snow can
be as much as 50 degrees warmer than at the
surface.
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Shelter
Artic hare and fox take advantage of the snow and
build dens for protection against the harsh
arctic winters. Polar bears build dens as
well, but generally cubs are not born until
spring.
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In summary

• Adaptations are characteristics that enable an
  organism to survive in its environment and
  reproduce.
• Adaptations can be physical or behavioral.

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In summary

• All adaptations are related to the environment
  that an organism lives in.
• Physical adaptations can include
• Feathers, fur and insulation
• Body Shape
• Color

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In summary
Behavioral adaptations can include Hibernation
Caching Migration Shelter Protection can
be both a physical and a behavioral adaptation.
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Invent an Organism

• If you were to invent an organism, you would
  need to first consider its environment
• Decide upon an environment for your organism.
  Consider its temperature, moisture level, amount
  of sunlight, etc
• See the Invent an Organism handout stored here