There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
BEARS of the last frontier... The polar bear's overnight success as a highly specialized bear came about through "quantum-speciation," a process that involves the rapid evolution of numerous physiological changes. For the polar bear these include an adaptation in fur color for camouflage, webbed toes to improve swimming ability, an elongated neck that facilitates hunting and life in and around water, hollow hairs to improve flotation and insulation, sandpaper-like foot pads to aid traction, and a thick layer of fat to keep the intense cold at bay. I've seen every one of these adaptations put to use, and combined they make for an incredibly well-designed animal. -In essence, during the last 150,000 years polar bears have diverged from their grizzly bear cousins under the intensive pressure from their environment to select for traits geared toward hunting seals from the ice. If ever there was a specialist, this is it. It is ironic given the highly adaptable nature of their close cousin, the grizzly, that this specialization may have sealed their fate. Their dependence on ice makes polar bears the climate change "canary in the coal mine."
Survival Skills of Bears
