February 27th - International Polar Bear Day

Polar bears are the world’s biggest bears. They are also called white bears or northern bears. They have black skin under their white fur. They are strong and fast. They can run as swiftly as 40 km an hour for a short distance. Polar bears have 42 teeth, and their teeth are very sharp to help them eat tough seal and fish meat.

Polar bears are also very good at swimming. They can swim hundreds of kilometers from land. They have very thick fur that keeps them warm and dry in cold water. A polar bear’s paws are perfect snowshoes for them. The bottoms are wide and covered with fur to prevent them from slipping on the ice. They have sharp claws too which also help them to grip the ice.

Male polar bears are active all year, but female polar bears usually sleep in ice caves during the winter.  Female polar bears give birth to their young in these ice caves, and then come out in the spring. The mother feeds milk to the babies, which makes them grow fast.  After 10 weeks the cubs weigh about 10 kg. Young polar bears wrestle in the snow to build their strength and skills. They practice using their strong paws, and they show off their big, sharp teeth.

Polar Bears Audio and Quiz  here
Polar Bear Story