Splendid Adaptations
“Scientists have long appreciated a number of the polar bear’s adaptations, which allow it to survive two decades or more on the glacial ice of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures reach minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, all the while defying standard bear omnivorousness to subsist almost exclusively on seal. The polar bear comes specially equipped with a double layer of fur, undergirded by four inches of blubber, that almost completely prevents heat loss; broad, fluffy paws that act as snowshoes, and short, solid claws that grip the ice; an elongated snout for poking into ice holes and pulling out seals; and the ability of that snout to smell prey from a distance of 20 miles.”