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Polar Bear Research Paper

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Polar Bears Have Natural Heating Ability
The arctic circle is a cold and unforgiving wasteland, to live there you have to able to regulate your body temperature. According to Polar Bears International, polar bears are built for these harsh environments. Polar bears are animals that have to face this tough environment every single day of their lives. The polar bear uses many ways to insulate its body from the inside to the outside.
Charlotte Lindqvist, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, states “Gene functions that had to do with nitric oxide production seemed to be more enriched in the polar bear[s]” (qtd. In Hsu). This means that the polar bear is able to pump more blood throughout its body without …show more content…

According to Sea World, a marine and wildlife research organization, the polar bear has a layer of fat up to four and a half inches thick. This layer of fat keeps them so well insulated almost no heat escapes. Polar bears are so well insulated they tend to overheat on occasion (SeaWorld).

On top of the blubber, the polar bear has tough hide. Polar bears hide is dark black, according to The National Wildlife Federation, an organization that investigates wildlife and animal behavior. The black tint of their skin absorbs the heat of the sun, while also trapping the heat, keeping them warm on even the coldest of days. Even though the only visible sign of this skin pigmentation is on the nose, the rest of their body is the same color under the abundant amounts of white fur (NWF).
The fur of the polar bear is hollow (Polar Bears International). The fur is hollow so it can trap heat in-between the hairs, so the bear can stay warm while doing nothing at all. The hairs are also all various lengths so there is more surface area to trap heat between every fiber of hair. On top of the short hair layers, is a top fur coat made from the same thick hair. Polar bears are so well insulated they tend to overheat on occasion (SeaWorld). The polar bear uses these techniques to not only stay alive, but to thrive in extreme

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