10 Facts About Polar Bears

1. Their fur isn't really white.

A polar bear's fur is actually translucent, but light reflects off of it making it look white. Sometimes the bear will even look yellow because of the oils they get on them from eating seals.

2. Although polar bears mate in the spring, the fertile eggs don't implant until fall.

This is due to a process called delayed implantation. Not only will the eggs not implant until fall, but they also won't do it unless the mother has enough fat to sustain her and her cubs through the denning season.

3. They have excellent hygiene.

Polar bears don't like to be dirty, but its not just because of the smell. Their fur helps insulate them so they won't freeze to death in the cold climate they live in, but the fur isn't as effective if its wet and matted. In the summer months they take a fifteen minute bath in the open water, licking their paws, chests, and muzzles. When they're done, they shake and rub their fur in the snow to dry off. In the winter when water isn't as available they use snow to clean themselves. Mother bears keep their cubs clean by licking them, and the cubs help out by licking themselves and each other.

4. They have a nictitating membrane.

That's just a fancy name for a third eyelid. It helps the bears see up to fifteen feet ahead while underwater, and protects their eyes from blowing snow.

5. They can overheat. 

When a polar bear walks or runs they expend more than twice the amount of energy that most other mammals do. And walking bears expend 13 times the energy as resting bears. Due to this, polar bears show higher than average increases in temperature and oxygen consumption. This is why the bears don't run long distances, and prefer a slower pace. For instance they can run up to about 25 miles an hour, but only for short distances.

6. They don't hibernate.
 Females build maternity dens in the fall, where they will stay until March or April when they emerge with their babies. Males continue to hunt throughout the winter if conditions allow. If the weather becomes too harsh however, they will take temporary shelter in a snow den until it improves.

7. They like to play.

They play with each other, but also alone, they've been seen sliding downhill or across the ice just because. When a bear wants to play with another bear it will stand on its hind legs, lower its chin to its chest, and hang its paws by its sides.

8. They don't just eat seals.

Polar bears actually eat a wide variety of things including: musk-ox, reindeer, birds, eggs, rodents, crabs, other crustaceans, berries, roots, kelp, or even other polar bears.

9. They have black skin.

This is yet another way they stay warm, since the color black absorbs heat.

10. They sleep as much as we do.

They normally sleep about 7 to 8 hours at a stretch, but they also take naps. They can nap under any conditions, sometimes they even let snow cover them while they sleep to keep them warm, and if there is bad weather they will stay there for a few days.