However Ursus is widely considered to be the valid genus for the species based on the fossil record and the fact that it can breed with the brown bear. Due to its adaptations to a marine environment, some taxonomists like Theodore Knottnerus-Meyer have placed the polar bear in its genus Thalarctos. Constantine John Phipps formally described the polar bear as a distinct species, Ursus maritimus in 1774, following his 1773 voyage towards the North Pole. TaxonomyĬarl Linnaeus classified the polar bear as a type of brown bear ( Ursus arctos), labelling it as Ursus maritimus albus-major, articus in the 1758 edition of his work Systema Naturae. The scientific name Ursus maritimus is Latin for "sea bear". The Netsilik cultures additionally have different names for bears based on certain factors, such as sex and age: these include adult males ( anguraq), single adult females ( tattaq), gestating females ( arnaluk), newborns ( hagliaqtug), large adolescents ( namiaq) and dormant bears ( apitiliit). The Norse referred to it as isbjørn ("ice bear") and hvitebjørn ("white bear"). It was known as the "white bear" in Europe between the 13th and 18th centuries, as well as "ice bear", "sea bear" and " Greenland bear". The polar bear was given its common name by Thomas Pennant in A Synopsis of Quadrupeds (1771). They have been kept in captivity in zoos and circuses and are prevalent in art, folklore, religion and modern culture. Polar bears have been hunted, both by native and non-native peoples, for their coats, meat and other items. Less sea ice also means that the bears must spend more time on land, increasing conflicts with people. Climate change has caused a decline in sea ice, giving the polar bear less access to its favoured prey and increasing the risk of malnutrition and starvation. Its biggest threats are climate change, pollution and energy development. The polar bear is considered to be a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated total population of 22,000 to 31,000 individuals. Young stay with their mother for up to two and a half years. Mothers give birth to cubs in maternity dens during the winter. During the breeding season, male bears guard females and defend them from rivals. Polar bears are usually solitary but can be found in groups when on land. Other prey include walruses, beluga whales and some terrestrial animals. The bear primarily feeds on the seal's energy-rich blubber. Such prey is typically taken by ambush the bear may stalk its prey on the ice or in the water, but also will stay at a breathing hole or ice edge to wait for prey to swim by. They are mostly carnivorous and specialized for preying on seals, particularly ringed seals. They prefer the annual sea ice but live on land when the ice melts in the summer. Polar bears are both terrestrial and pagophilic (ice-living) and are considered to be marine mammals due to their dependence on marine ecosystems. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat. The species is sexually dimorphic, as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |