Over the course of thousands of years, polar bears evolved different physical and behavioral traits that made them better suited for hunting and surviving in the harsh northern climate. In fact, polar bears were originally a subpopulation of brown bears that adapted to living in the Arctic environment. ![]() ![]() Polar bears are closely related to brown bears. These large mammals are perfectly adapted to the frozen tundra of the Arctic regions and have become an integral part of the local ecosystems. Polar bears are one of the most recognizable symbols of the Arctic. They are fascinating animals and are an important part of the Arctic ecosystem. In other words, their spiny exoskeleton is visible.Įxperts point out that echinoderms are a crucial part of the ocean food chain, since they also feast on seaweeds.įor a starfish, the star-shaped sea creature also consume sponge, in addition to the ones mentioned earlier.Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an incredible species that have adapted to living in one of the most unforgiving environments on the planet. These invertebrates are related to echinoderms like sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars, according to the National Aquarium.Įchinoderms are characterized by scientists as marine animals known for their hard, blunted covering or skin. The sea star ( Asteroidea) is an invertebrate animal which can be found across the world's oceans, including the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Southern Ocean. However, the past several years saw the decline on the natural habitats of polar bears due to climate change and global warming, forcing some to flee away from their Arctic home and settle into or near human territories such as in Canada and Greenland. maritimus needs to constantly eat prey, which also includes, the birds eiders, gulls, and murre. Male polar bears are larger than their female counterparts since they can weigh over 1,700 pounds, which is 400 pounds larger than female polar bears, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).ĭue to their natural state of being large, U. They can grow approximately between seven to eight feet long. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a bear species with a conservation status of "threatened" despite its title as the largest carnivorous land mammals on Earth. The map found that the benthic part had many connections on its food chain similar to its pelagic counterpart, as summarized by Live Science.Īlso Read: Consequences of Climate Change: Polar Bear Population Shrinking Due to Arctic Sea Ice Melt Polar Bears The study was published in the journal PNAS in late December 2022, where researchers examined a coastal marine ecosystem in the Canadian Arctic and found that components within the benthic zone's food web had been significantly ignored.īefore arriving with their conclusion regarding the predatory sea stars, the team created a detailed map of the different food chains around Southampton Island, located in the mouth of Hudson Bay and in the Nunavut territory of Canada. ![]() (Photo : Photo by OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images)Ī polar bear stands in the water as another one snorts after swimming behind a pod of beluga whales passing near the shoreline of the Hudson Bay near Churchill on August 9, 2022.
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