Polar Bears Reading Comprehension Lesson

Life on the Arctic Ice

Did you know that there is no land at the North Pole? There is only a polar ice cap floating in the Arctic Ocean. The ice is constantly shifting and cracking. Most animals cannot survive in this harsh environment, but this is the home of the largest land predator in the world: the polar bear. Polar bears live in the Arctic, a region at the top of the world extending from the North Pole to parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. Most of the Arctic is ocean, and it is usually covered by sea ice.

A polar bear’s fur is not actually white — each individual hair is transparent and hollow. The fur appears white because it reflects visible light. Beneath the fur, a polar bear’s skin is black, which helps it absorb the sun’s heat. Polar bears also have a thick layer of fat called blubber that can be up to four and a half inches thick, providing insulation against the extreme cold. Their large, slightly webbed paws are effective paddles in the water and act like snowshoes on ice, spreading their weight to prevent them from falling through.

A polar bear spends most of its life alone, hunting for food. Its favorite food is seals. It must catch seals on the ice, because seals are faster swimmers than polar bears. Polar bears must have a keen sense of smell and a great deal of patience. They walk or swim several miles looking for seals. In the spring, seals are easier to find, and polar bears may eat so much that they gain up to two hundred pounds during this season. Storing fat this way helps them survive later in the year when hunting is harder.

Cubs, Communication, and Climate Threats

Female polar bears give birth in dens dug into the snow, usually in November or December. A litter typically consists of two cubs. The mother nurses the cubs through the winter while living off her stored fat — she does not eat, drink, or leave the den for months. In spring, the family emerges. The cubs stay with their mother for about two years, learning to hunt and survive before heading off on their own.

Polar bears communicate using body language and sounds. They make a chuffing sound when they are content, much like a large house cat. Mothers grunt softly to guide their cubs. When threatened, polar bears will hiss, growl, or roar. Two male polar bears will sometimes wrestle with each other in a behavior that looks like play but is actually practice for competing over mates. Despite their fierce reputation, polar bears rarely attack humans unless they are defending their cubs or are extremely hungry.

Polar bears are classified as a vulnerable species, meaning they face a real risk of extinction if conditions continue to worsen. The greatest threat to polar bears is the loss of sea ice caused by climate change. As global temperatures rise, Arctic sea ice is melting earlier in the spring and forming later in the fall, giving polar bears less time to hunt. With less food, bears are thinner and cubs are less likely to survive. Scientists estimate that if sea ice continues to decline, polar bear populations could fall sharply within this century.

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