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Polar Bear Response to Sea Ice Loss

Hi Christina! My fifth grade science class was on the Live Event call today and didn't get to post all of their questions; so here they are! Adam: How do polar bears stay on the ice without slipping off? Jacob: How big can a polar bear get? (size) And what is the biggest one you all have ever seen? Stanley: How many bears have you seen (so far) Aiden: How many babies bears can they have? when does that happen? Brandon: Can polar bears get heartworms or worms?

Can't wait for the upcoming journals and adventures- keep up the good work! Felicidades, lollie :)

Thu, 10/08/2009 - 10:00

Cristina Galvan

Hola Lollie! I'm so glad that you were listening in!
Ok, here we go:
Adam - Polar bears have big paws with claws that are designed to help
them grip the ice better. However, they do fall through the ice where
it is thin. They are interesting to watch because when the ice gets
thin they spread their weight around by sliding on the stomachs to keep
them from falling through the ice. It's neat to watch.
Jacob: How big can a polar bear get? (size) And what is the biggest one
you all have ever seen?
Jacob, the largest male polar bear on record is about 1700 pounds! The
males are usually around 1100 pounds, and females are half that size.
The largest bear that the team has seen personally is 1070 pounds! I
have only seen two bears up close so far - she was 550 pounds and her
cub was 211 pounds!
Stanley: How many bears have you seen (so far)
Personally, I have seen 2 up close. However, I have also seen three
from the boat using binoculars. I also saw one in the helicopter. I
have seen several tracks of bears.
Aiden: How many babies bears can they have? when does that happen?
Aiden, polar bears usually have two cubs. The cubs are born in the
winter in a den (like other bears) and usually come out during the early
spring. They have cubs every three years because the cubs stay with the
mother for 2 1/4 years.
Brandon: Can polar bears get heartworms or worms?
Hmm - great question. I'm going to do some research and get back to
you. I do know that they don't get fleas or ticks in their fur. I
think it's just too cold for those organisms to survive up here. But
I'll check around to see if anyone knows about heartworms. Great question!
Thanks,
Ms Galvan

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 17:15

Cristina Galvan

Hi Brandon,I asked around about polar bears getting heart worms and other types of
worms. The consensus amongst the scientist here is that they have not
seen heart worm, but they get other types of worms, like round worm.
Polar bears eat seals, which eat fish. Anything that eats fish is
likely to get worms from that fish if it's not cooked.
Thanks,
Ms Galvan
Brandon: Can polar bears get heartworms or worms?