Polar Bear Facts

Tag: Polar Bears and Penguins

  • Polar Bears and Penguins

    Polar bears and penguins live on the opposite poles but under similar environmental conditions. It explains a lot about the evolutionary developments of both species. Polar bears and penguins chemistry doesn’t match or probably should never be for there is a predatory-prey relationship lie between the two. However dissimilar they may appear to be, polar bears and penguins share many similar behavior traits. For instance, both are aquatic species and are exceptional swimmers. In fact penguins are one of the world’s fastest swimmers.

    What do Polar Bears and Penguins have in Common?

    Penguins live in the South Pole while polar bears live in the North Polar. They both live at the opposite ends of the pole. Thus there is no chance that polar bears meet penguins. In order to have interactions between the two either polar bear or penguin must be a great traveler. Ice bears are known to migrate during the ice-free winter but they never get to the Southern Hemisphere.

    Camouflage

    Polar bear’s white coat blends with the snowy background—providing a perfect camouflage against any possible threats. Similarly penguin’s camouflage is due to their countershading appearance making it difficult for marine predators to recognize them from below.

    Insulation

    Polar bears are insulated by their dense furs which are also oily so that water slips away. The polar bear’s hairs are water resistant and thus keep the bear warm in the icy cold water. Penguins are insulated by a thick layer of feathers that keep the bird warm at all times.

    Diving Speed

    Penguins have got the ability to reach the speed of about 6 to 12 km/h (3.7 to 7.5 mph) underwater which is nearly the swimming speed of polar bears. Ice bears typically swim at a speed of 10 km/h. Baby penguins rarely dive just like baby polar bears. Polar bear cubs mount on the mother’s back during swimming.

    Diving Depths

    While polar bears are shallow divers rarely going beyond 5 or 6 feet underwater penguins can reach the depths of about 565 m (1,854 ft). Ice bears can remain submerged for as long as 2 – 3 minutes but penguins can stay underwater for 10 – 15 minutes.

    Social Animals

    Penguins are highly social animals in that they live in colonies consisting of thousands of birds each. Polar bears are lone walkers. They prefer to live a solitary lifestyle.

  • Do Polar Bears Eat Penguins? – Why Don’t Polar Bears Eat Penguins?

    Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are highly opportunistic feeders in that they will consume just about anything in the Arctic. That’s right! Nearly all living organisms in the arctic are likely to fall prey to polar bears. But penguins don’t live in the arctic do they? They occur in the Antarctic which lies at the South Pole whereas polar bears live in the North Pole. Arctic is located exactly opposite to the Antarctic. Perhaps it’s time to see why don’t polar bears eat penguins.

    Do Polar Bears Eat Penguins?

    There is virtually no comparison between the two species living far off from each other. The freezing weather of the arctic and Antarctica is what makes people confuse regarding the dietary behavior of animals. It’s a myth that polar bears eat penguins but they would if they had lived in the same habitat.

    No penguin lives in the arctic and the odds are that polar bears probably never saw one in their life. However if penguins had occurred in the North Pole than they would certainly become (though not essential) part of the polar bear’s diet. Since white bears fancy eating seals because of the seal’s fatty components which they need during winter penguins don’t seem to offer any such fatty component. Thus even if bears prey on penguins this can never replace their essential prey (seal). But polar bears could supplement their diet with some penguins. Nonetheless it doesn’t stand to any logic for polar bears and penguins might never see each other.

    Having said that, scientists do believe and few of them witnessed it that an isolated population of a penguin has begun to live in the north of the equator. Still much to prove regarding the statement. Arctic waters do not appear to provide suitable habitat for penguins. Besides, unlike polar bears penguins might not be able to swim in warm waters.

    Adult bears are fond of eating only the blubber of ringed seal (leaving the meat for the young bears) because the blubber not only gives them thousands of calories but it also provides fats so that the bear may spend days in fasting. No such component occurs in penguins. They are simply birds. Polar bears (if at all) eat penguins only when the primary diet is scarce. But penguins do not make up the ecosystem of the arctic.

    Yet another reason as to why polar bears would not have preferred to prey on penguins is that birds such as this cannot provide sufficient protein for young bears to survive the frigid arctic weather.

    Do Polar Bears Eat Penguins? – Video

  • Do Polar Bears and Penguins Live Together?

    Do you have any idea where do polar bears and penguins live? No! Polar bears and penguins live in absolutely different locations. Polar bears live in the Northern Hemisphere while penguins inhabit the Southern Hemisphere. They are far apart—living on the opposite ends. It is reasonable to believe that none of them ever saw the other in their native habitats. Possibility may exist that some polar bears migrate to the South Pole (since habitat conditions are almost the same) but no such movement has ever been reported. Let us study as if polar bears and penguins live in the same place.

    Do Polar Bears and Penguins Live Together?

    Penguins are flightless aquatic birds while polar bears are marine mammals but they do hunt on land. Polar bears live in the Arctic which is a polar region and it occurs at the northernmost tip of the earth. Penguins, on the contrary, live in the southernmost part of the earth, Antarctic.

    What if Polar Bears and Penguins Live Together?

    Should polar bears start living in the Antarctic no penguin would dare to survive because polar bears are land-based predators and also due to the fact that penguins are flightless birds. They cannot escape if they cannot fly—not at least from polar bears.

    But penguins are able to dive into the water. Well, let’s not forget that polar bears are outstanding swimmers too. They do it all too well as a matter of fact white bears spend half of their entire life in water. Had penguins been living in the Arctic or polar bears in the Antarctic the relationship between the two would be a predator-prey relationship. Thanks to nature that has kept both species apart and alive.

    Do Polar Bears and Penguins Live in the Same Place? – Video