Environment & Ecology
Context: According to recent survey by the government, Polar bears in Canada’s Western Hudson Bay on the southern edge of the Arctic are continuing to die in high numbers. This has consequences for all other life forms in the region.
About Polar Bear:
- IUCN status: Vulnerable
- Scientific name: Ursus maritimus
- Weight: 800–1,300 pounds (males), 300-700 (females)
- Length: 6–9 feet
- Habitat: Arctic Ocean, sea ice, and adjacent coastal areas
- The largest bear in the world and the Arctic’s top predator, polar bears are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic.
- Considered talented swimmers, polar bears can sustain a pace of six miles per hour by paddling with their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder.
- They have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat that insulates them from the cold air and wate
- Polar bears spend over 50% of their time hunting for food.
- A polar bear might catch only one or two out of 10 seals it hunts, depending on the time of year and other variables.
- Their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to survive.
- Polar bears rely heavily on sea ice for traveling, hunting, resting, mating and, in some areas, maternal dens.
Source: Indian Express
Previous Year Question
Q.1) Consider the following statements:
- Some species of turtles are herbivores
- Some species of fish are herbivores.
- Some species of marine mammals are herbivores
- Some species of snakes are viviparous
Which of the statements given above are correct? (2019)
- 1 and 3 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 2 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
