Polar Bear

Hi there! My name is Nanuk, which is what the Inuit people call me, but you probably know me as a Polar Bear. I live in a very chilly place called the Arctic, which is full of white snow, shiny ice, and deep blue water. My scientific name is Ursus maritimus, and that means 'sea bear.' It's the perfect name for me because I am a fantastic swimmer! My real home is the sea ice. I spend most of my days walking across the big frozen plains of ice, always looking for my next big adventure and a tasty meal.

Brrr! It gets very cold where I live, but the cold doesn't bother me at all. I was built for it! I have a super thick layer of fat under my skin called blubber, which works just like a cozy, warm blanket to keep me from getting chilly. On top of that, I have not one, but two layers of fur to keep me warm. You might think my fur is white, but it’s a cool trick. My hairs are actually clear and hollow, like tiny straws, and they trap the warmth from the sun to keep me toasty. My paws are another one of my special tools. They are huge and have rough pads on the bottom, kind of like built-in snow boots, which stop me from slipping and sliding on the slick ice.

My favorite thing to do all day is hunt for yummy seals. My nose is like a superpower! I can smell a seal from almost 20 miles away, though other sources suggest a range of approximately 5.6 miles. That's really far! To catch my food, I have to be very patient. I will find a breathing hole in the ice, which is where a seal comes up for air, and I will sit very still and wait. When the seal pops its head up, I'm ready! I learned all my important hunting skills from my mom. I was born a tiny cub around December, and my mom kept me safe and warm in a snow den. For two whole years, she taught me everything I needed to know to survive all by myself in the big, icy world.

Lately, my beautiful icy home has started to change. The world is getting warmer, leading to Arctic sea ice melting earlier in the year, though the rate of change varies by region and year. When the ice melts, it makes it much harder for me to walk around and find the food I need to stay strong and healthy. The good news is that people are learning about me and my home. Every year on February 27th, people celebrate International Polar Bear Day. It's a special day to remember us and why our home is so important. As the top hunter in the Arctic, I help keep all the other animals in my ecosystem healthy and balanced. When you help protect my home, you are helping to protect a whole world of amazing animals that live here with me.