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Two polar bears relaxing on the ice...
Skins of hunted polar bears in Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Polar Bear Attack! WARNING: Pictures are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC not for the young or squeamish
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Polar Bears as a necessity
The Arctic peoples have long been provided by the Polar Bear, these are the Inuit, Yupik, Chukchi, Nentets, Russian Pomors
and others. They used almost all the bear parts.
- Fur: Used to sew pants, make galoshes-like outer footwear('tobok')
- Meat: Edible despite some risk of trichinosis
- Fat: Used in food and as a fuel for lighting homes
- Tendon(or sinew)- Used as thread for sewing clothes
- Gallbladder and (sometimes)heart: Dried and powdered for medicinal purposes
- Large canines: Valued as talismans
Only the liver was not used. It's high concentration of vitamin A is poisonous.
14th century Russia: Polar bear furs were traded with low value compared to the Fox or reindeer fur. In the 16th and
17th century with the booming Eurasian population, advent of firearms and increasing trade caused a great demand for polar
bear fur.
Polar bear cubs playing.
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First Off: General Facts
* Family Ursidae
* Native To Arctic Circle
* Largest predator on land today
* Average adult male weighs 400-680 kg (880-1,500 lb)
* Measure 2.4 m (7.9-9.8 ft) in length
* Average adult female about half the male's size
* Classified under vulnerable species
* Regarded as a marine mammal
* Hunts seals, makes up most of diet
* Compared with closest relative, the brown bear:
* More elongated body build
* Longer skull and nose
* Legs are stocky, small ears and tail
* Very large feet, may measure up to 36 cm(12 in.)across in adult
* Has 42 teeth, higly carnivorous diet
* Polar bear fur consists of:
* Dense underfur layer
* Outer layer of guard hairs
* Fur appears white but is actually transparent
* Guard hair is 5-15 cm (2.0-5.9 in) over most of the body
* Superbly insulated by 10cm(3.9 in.) of blubber, hide and fur
* Overheat at temperatures above 10 Celsius
* Well developed sense of smell, can detect scent 1 mil away and as deep as 3 ft buried in snow
* Eyesight is as well equipped as a human
An adult taking a dive.
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