Polar Bear - The North Star

Weighing in at nearly ½ a ton, the white-as-snow, fluffy bear of the North Pole, is overwhelmingly alluring. The Polar bear is in the spotlight

In our previous issue, we wrote about the trending piece of I wildlife news surrounding the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards by Natural History Museum, UK. The winning entry was Ice Bed, an image of a baby bear searching for the perfect spot for a nap in the cold environs of the Arctic, and finding it on a piece of iceberg that he carved out for himself. Baby Polar made his bed and what a sight it was! The effect that the Polar bear has on anyone and everyone who sees it is mesmerising, and so we thought it best to put the bear of the North Pole under the spotlight this issue.

The bear on the Ice Bed is the most adorable thing ever, right? Sure, but the Polar is the largest of the bear species, weighing in at 450 kgs for the females and 720 kgs for the males, reaching a height of 6-9 ft., with a strength so immense from paws that measure up to 11 inches each. Their 42 razor sharp teeth can pack in quite the bite and hind legs that act as rudders propel them under water at a speed of six mph. Out of water, their speed measures up to 25 mph, and their 'snow shoes' help them overcome the treacherous snow and ice with greater ability.