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Polar Bears in the Wild

 
Polar bears are superbly adapted for life in a bitterly cold world of pack ice, tundra, coast and boreal forest. Their small ears and tail reduce heat loss, and they are the only bears that are completely covered in fur, except for the nose and pads of their feet. Their thick coat of guard hairs and underfur cover a layer of blubber up to 10cm thick, providing insulation against freezing winds and icy waters. In fact, polar bears are so good at staying warm that, when active, they can overheat when the temperature is only 0
degrees Celsius.
 
Their feet are also uniquely adapted for travelling over ice and snow. Their non-retractable claws provide traction on the ice; their wide feet act as snowshoes in the deep snow; the hairs on their feet not only insulate, but prevent the bear from sliding on the ice; and their pads are covered with dermal bumps that also prevent slipping.
 
In the wild, polar bears spend the majority of their time travelling and hunting. They will travel many kilometres in a single day, climbing snow banks and steep ridges of ice, and leaping over cracks in th e ice that are more than 6 metres wide. A single bear may range over 3,000 kilometres in a year, covering a home territory that can be as large as 300,000 square kilometres. Polar bears are also adapted for life in the ocean and are expert long-distance swimmers. Their tapered head, streamlined body, and paddle-like feet, which have webbed toes, allow them to swim for many kilometres without stopping. Scientists have tracked polar bears swimming up to 100 kilometres without stopping to rest!
 
The mainstay of a polar bear's diet is seal blubber. The most common method of hunting is still-hunting - waiting beside a hole in the ice for a seal to come up for air, and then striking the seal with a crushing blow from an enormous paw. Less commonly, polar bears will creep towards a seal lying on the ice, taking advantage of their camouflaged white fur. Polar bears also use their keen sense of smell to sniff out a seal's den and prey on her pups.
 
Adult polar bears have no natural enemies. The main threats to polar bears are habitat loss due to human activity, pollution of Arctic land and water, and the effects of climate change. As the temperature in the Arctic slowly rises, more and more summer ice has been melting and the ice floes are getting increasingly smaller and farther apart. This makes it much harder for the bears to hunt.
 
 
 

Polar Bears in Captivity

Yupi is a female polar bear, approximately 15 years old, who lives i
n a Mexican zoo. She was born in the wild in Alaska and has been in captivity since she was a cub. The enclosure in which Yupi lives is oval-shaped and concrete, and features a pool. A 4-metre high wall surrounds the entire exhibit, preventing Yupi from viewing anything else except the interior wall and an obscured view of zoo visitors who observe her at the underwater viewing station that looks in on the pool.
 
The exhibit is approximately 110 square metres, and the concrete floor is flat, smooth and featureless. The exhibit includes two wooden stumps, embedded in concrete and a single dead tree, encased in gunite (spray-on concrete), with electric wires above it. The pool is fresh water and unrefrigerated. There are no objects or furnishings in the enclosure for Yupi to manipulate or use. There are no structures in the exhibit to provide shade, other than the side walls, and an alcove at the back of the exhibit that leads to the holding area.
 
The holding area (off-exhibit) includes two separate cages, each approximately 15 square metres in size. The floor in the holding area is concrete and no bedding is provided for Yupi. There is no natural light in the holding area, nor is it air-conditioned or well ventilated.
 
Yupi is only in her exhibit when the zoo is open, and spends the majority of her time, from about 5pm each day until 9am the next morning, in the holding area. She is fed a commercially prepared diet, supplemented with chicken and fish.
 
On several different visits to the zoo, Zoocheck has seen Yupi engaged in two different behaviours that are of concern. For much of the time she exhibits periods of inactivity, such as lying prone with all four legs extended. She has also been observed swimming in front of the viewing glass in a repeated pattern, a stereotypical behaviour that indicates stress or frustration.
 
Yupi's captivity demonstrates many of the serious problems with keeping polar bears in zoos. These include:                                                                                                                                
  • Antiquated, Inappropriate Exhibit Design. Yupi's exhibit, with its high walls and concrete flooring, was constructed for security and ease of maintenance, but in no way does it simulate a natural habitat for a polar bear.  
  • Lack of Space. Polar bears are among the widest ranging terrestrial mammals on earth; a typical polar bear's enclosure has been estimated to be one-millionth of a polar bear's minimum home-range. Polar bears should be provided with expansive, naturalistic paddocks that allow them plenty of room to roam. 
  • Inappropriate Hard Substrates. Yupi's entire enclosure is comprised of hard concrete floor surfaces. Not only are these surfaces uncomfortable to stand, sit and lie on, but they provide no opportunity for natural behaviours such as digging and foraging.
    Inadequate Shelter and Privacy. Although privacy is not a major problem for Yupi, as visitor observation is restricted to the underwater viewing station, her exhibit lacks adequate shade from the sun. Polar bears are adapted to keep warm in frigid temperatures; even in the shade,
    the warm temperature and high humidity of Mexico is a problem for Yupi. 
  • Lack of Structural Features, Furnishings and Enrichment. Polar bears are complex, intelligent animals that require a great deal of stimulation, yet Yupi's exhibit is barren, and does nothing to encourage natural movements or species-specific behaviour. Yupi has nothing to push, pull, dig, tear apart, climb or manipulate. Nor is there any visual or olfactory stimulation available.
  • Inappropriate Environmental Conditions. The climate in Mexico is completely unlike that found in the Arctic regions, and keeping cool is a major challenge for Yupi. As already mentioned, polar bears are adapted to keep warm in frigid conditions, and they overheat easily. Even Yupi's pool, which is not refrigerated, may not provide adequate relief.  
  • Abnormal Behaviour. Yupi has been observed sitting or lying prone for relatively long periods of time, and also swimming in a repetitive fashion. It is highly likely that the lack of space and the barren conditions of captivity have contributed to Yupi's abnormal behaviours, caused by boredom, frustration and deprivation.  
  • Inappropriate Lock-in Practices. While Yupi's main exhibit is grossly substandard, the holding area where she spends most of her time is much worse.         
 

Activities and Curriculum Connections

A Polar Bear in Mexico? is designed to support the Grade 2 curriculum, Growth and Changes in Animals. By learning about the distinct characteristics, behaviours and adaptations of the polar bear, students will be able to identify some of the problems these bears encounter in captivity. The workshop places a special emphasis on sustainability and stewardship, and encourages students to protect wild animals and the places where they live.
 
 
 ACTIVITY               
 
  CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
 
 
Group Discussions focused on zoos and animals in captivity
 
  • Identify positive and negative impacts that animals have on humans 
  • Identify positive and negative impacts that different kinds of human activity have on animals and where they live, form an opinion about one of them, and suggest ways in which the impact can be minimized
     
Polar Bear Skull and Claw       
 
  • Observe and compare the physical characteristics on an animal
     
Blubber and Fur Experiment &
 
 Polar Bear Paw Adaptations
  • Observe and compare the physical characteristics and behavioural characteristics of an animal
     
  • Investigate the ways in which animals adapt to their environment using various methods
     
  • Use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate the characteristics, behaviour and adaptations of an animal
     
  • Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including adaptation and body covering
     
  • Describe an adaptation as a characteristic body part, shape or behaviour that helps an animal survive in its environment
     
 
Polar Bear Pounce Activity
 
  • Observe and compare the behavioural characteristics of an animal
     
  • Use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate the behaviour of an animal
     
 
Polar Bear Habitat Chart    
 
  • Use knowledge acquired from previous investigations to investigate the basic needs and behaviour of an animal
     
  • Identify positive and negative impacts that different kinds of human activity have on animals and where they live
     
The "Great Polar Bear
Migration" game
 
  • Observe the behavioural characteristics of an animal
  • Investigate the ways in which an animal adapts to their environment  
  • Identify positive and negative impacts that different kinds of human activity have on animals and where they live
     
                                                                                         
 
 

Resources

Organizations:

The Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat        www.polarbearhabitat.ca
 
The Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat is the only polar bear rehabilitation facility in the world. They are dedicated to the rehabilitation of non-releasable polar bears from sub-standard zoos, circuses, private ownership, and the wild. Please note: this facility is temporarily closed. Check their website for updates on their re-opening.
 

Books:

Polar Bears: Arctic Hunters, by Norman Pearl (2008)
    A non-fiction book suited for Grades 2-4, filled with facts and photos.
 
Polar Bears, by Michael De Medeiros (2008)
    Part of the Amazing Animals series, this book includes factual information about the life and habitat of polar bears, as well as folklore, conservation efforts, and child-friendly website links.
 
Face to Face with Polar Bears, by Norbert Rosing and Elizabeth Carney (2007)
    Face to Face with Animals is a series of books by National Geographic photographers and researchers that contain animal facts, stunning photography, conservation messages, and information about the field of animal study.
 
The World of the Polar Bear, by Norbert Rosing (2006)
    A stunning collection of images of polar bears and their arctic habitat. Although not intended specifically for a juvenile audience, the photos in the book are spectacular, and suited to all ages.
 
Little Polar Bears, by Thorsten Milse (2006)
    Much like Norbert Rosing's book, this book is a visual journey into the lives of polar bears, focused on a mother and her cubs. The text is suited for a mature reader, but the photographs make up most of the book, and will delight children.
 
Wild Animals in Captivity, by Rob Laidlaw (2008)
    Rob Laidlaw, founder and director of Zoocheck Canada, has written an informative and eye-opening book that raises important questions about the confinement of wild animals in zoos around the world. He compares the wild and captive lives of polar bears, orcas, elephants and great apes, and explains why they are so ill-suited for lives in captivity. Alternatives to zoos are provided, as well as a checklist for assessing zoos. Intended for ages 9-12.
 
On Parade: The Hidden World of Animals in Entertainment, by Rod Laidlaw (2010)
    Rob Laidlaw, founder and director of Zoocheck Canada, has travelled the world and documented abuses of animals in a variety of situations. This book examines animals in the entertainment industry, and offers ways to improve their lives. Intended for ages 9-12.
 

Movies:

The Bear (1998)
    Based on the book by Raymond Brigg
A delightful animated film based on the Raymond Brigg's book of the same name. It follows the adventures of a young girl named Tilly and a polar bear that she visits at the zoo. The movie is fantasy based and filled with humour, but it also has a wonderful message about animals in captivity.
 
Arctic Tale
(2007)
    Directed by Adam Ravetch & Sarah Robertson
A documentary film from National Geographic, narrated by Queen Latifah. The real-life adventure movie follows a polar bear cub (and a walrus pup) from birth to maturity and places an emphasis on the detrimental effects that global warming is having on the animals in the Arctic.
 
 
 

How Can You Help Polar Bears in Captivity?


Join Zoocheck Canada's campaign to get Yupi the polar bear moved to the Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat. Learn more about Zoocheck's Save Yupi campaign at www.saveyupi.com. Please consider writing a letter to the Zoo Director at:
 
     Parque Zoologico Benito Juarez
     Calzada Juarez S/N
     Col. Felix Ireta
     C.P. 58070
     Morelia, Michoacan, MEXICO
 

Host a fundraiser to help polar bears. Your money can be donated to Zoocheck Canada to help us with our campaign, or to The Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat. Some fun ideas include selling 'Popsicles for Polar Bears', or selling tickets for a screening of a polar bear movie at your school.

Create an awareness campaign about polar bears at your school, local library or community centre. Create posters, brochure or bookmarks to help others learn why polar bears do not do well in captivity.

If your class goes on a trip to a zoo that has polar bears, consider conducting a zoo investigation. Create your own checklist, including things like the size of the cage, the flooring, the furnishings and structures in the enclosure, the behaviour of the bears, and the climate. Make sure to share the results of your investigation with the zoo, the humane society, wildlife protection groups like Zoocheck, and your local government.

Instead of visiting wild animals in the zoo, consider visiting an animal sanctuary instead. Sanctuaries provide permanent homes to animals that cannot be released back into the wild.
 

How Can You Help Polar Bears in the Wild?

Global warming is the biggest threat facing polar bears today. When people burn fossil fuels to make electricity, or when people drive vehicles, they add gases to the atmosphere that cause a warming effect. Find out more about global warming, and how you can lessen your carbon footprint. That is the best way to help wild polar bears!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                               
 
 
 
 

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