Polar bears evolved from the Brown(Grizzly) bear more than 200,000years ago. DNA taken from both types of bears is, for the most part, identical. As the Brown bear migrated north to the tundra and Arctic regions its physiology began to change. The ears and head got smaller and the fur turned white. The body elongated and formed a layer of insulating blubber(fat). The feet became webbed, and the bear's teeth evolved from long and sharp to shorter snd slightly rounded. All these changes allowed the Polar bear to withstand extreme cold, to move with grace and speed through the water and to chew and digest it's main prey, the seal. More carnivorous than any other bear, The Polar bear is an amazing result of evolution and is a true king of the north.




Information from "Adopt an Animal Newsletter, the Toronto zoo.

Thank you Sue.

Here is a bear enjoying a treat.

Love, Inda

There is also a sad side to the polar bear's habitat and survival,

In a far north without ice, a mother bear could be stranded a long way from good hunting struggling to feed herself and her cubs.
The snow-free scene near Kapp Fanshawe (Cape Fanshawe)offers a glimpse of may be the Arctic's rockier future.



Photo from National Geographic, April 2009

Polar Bear Status Report
Polar bears are a potentially endangered species living in the circumpolar north. They are animals which know no boundaries. They pad across the ice from Russia to Alaska, from Canada to Greenland and onto Norway's Svalbard archipelago. Biologists estimate that there are 20,000 to 25,000 bears with about sixty percent of those living in Canada.

The main threat to polar bears today is the loss of their icy habitat due to climate change. Polar bears depend on the sea ice for hunting, breeding, and in some cases to den. The summer ice loss in the Arctic is now equal to an area the size of Alaska, Texas, and the state of Washington combined.


http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/bear-facts/

Thank you Sue.

I had no idea that the Polar bear evolved from the Brown bear. Thank you for the nice pictures.

Sincerely,
Gisele

Thank you Sue.

I did not know of the history of the Polar bear either, even though I live in the land of the Polar bear.

So many species are in danger of extinction; I think that we are very fortunate to still know them.

Love,
yoko

Thank you for the post Sue.

I was not aware of the origins of the Polar bear either.
I wonder how much longer they have a place on this planet? I think that we are the last ones to see many species on Earth. I watch National Geographic quite often, and it makes me sad to see the different endangered animals.

Love,
Vicky

Thank you everyone for your replies and nice pictures.

May the true King of the North survive a little longer.

Love,
Sue