There are currently 8 species of bear in the world. The polar bear is the biggest and strongest of them. It is also the bear that can cope with the lowest temperatures.

Where does it live?
The polar bear lives mostly in permanently frozen territories, such as ice sheets.
It is most commonly found: in coastal regions of the Arctic
on the many islands of the Arctic
on the Arctic ice sheets
in Canada’s Hudson Bay (when female bears give birth to their offspring).
in Russia
in Norway
Polar bear’s have evolved to cope with the cold:
- They have a thick coat of fine hair to protect them from the cold and high winds.
- They have a thick layer of body fat to keep out the cold.
- Their fur is semi-transparent. It allows the warmth of the sun to reach the bear’s skin, which is black and soaks up the heat.
- Water slides over the bear’s hocks when it emerges from water; it shakes off the water and dries quickly. more…