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The Polar Bear - See Them At The Toronto Zoo, Toronto Ontario

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Real Estate Sales Representative with RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage

The Polar Bear - See Them At The Toronto Zoo, Toronto Ontario

The Polar Bear can be seen at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario

The Polar Bear

The Polar Bear can be seen at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario  The Polar Bear can be seen at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario

Polar bears are considered the largest land carnivores in the world, matched only by very large individual Kodiak brown bears. Both sexes differ in size throughout their range; males being much larger than females and continuing to grow for a longer period of time. These bears have long, massive skulls, necks and bodies with long legs and large paws. The tongue is black and the eyes brown. The surface of the skin is also black. Fur colour varies slightly with the season.  Male polar bears weigh between 400 – 600 kg, and have been recorded up to a maximum of 800 kg. Females are smaller than the males weighing up to 300 kg, and when pregnant up to 460 kg. Polar bears are 2.5 – 3.5 m long.

You will find the polar bear in all Arctic seas and coastlines. The Alaskan coast north of Bering Strait, off the coasts of Greenland and along the Eurasian Arctic coast from Spitsbergen to Wrangell Island. Rare stragglers reach Iceland. In Canada, they are found along the Arctic coasts from Alaska to Labrador and from the tip of James Bay to northern Ellesmere Island. Polar bears do roam as far as 150 kilometres inland into the coniferous forests, where they live very differently from the polar bears which belong to the high Arctic.

The ringed seal is by far the most common prey of the Polar Bear. They also eat bearded seal, harp seal and hooded seal. Young walrus are sometimes taken. During the summer months they feed upon the shoreline carrion, fish, mussels, crabs, starfish, lemmings and the eggs and nestling young of waterfowl and cliff-dwelling birds. They will also graze on kelp, grasses and eat mushrooms and crowberries.

Normally they are solitary animals outside the breeding season, the exception being a mother with cubs. Polar bears mate in mid-summer. They give birth to one to four cubs somewhere between late November and early January.

The Polar Bear, see them at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto Ontario The Polar Bear, see them at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto Ontario

If you enjoed this article on the Polar Bear, check out this one on the Arctic Wolf, click here.

 

* Information provided by The Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario Canada.  The Zoo has over 5,000 animals representing over 500 species.  With 287 hectares (710 acres) The Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world.

 

Comments (15)

Team Honeycutt
Allen Tate - Concord, NC

Thats a big bear!! I need to go to the zoo soon and see all of the animals!!

Feb 26, 2010 06:41 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Awesome Al & Peggy! My 14 year old loves Polar Bears! I am gong to show him this! Have a fantastic weekend!

Feb 26, 2010 07:11 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Al & Peggy, excellent, geat post must have been a bear to get all those photos's, sorry couldn't help it...

Feb 26, 2010 07:30 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Al and Peggy that is one big animal.  They must be a beautiful sight to see in person.

Feb 26, 2010 08:16 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Yes Allen you need to go!  We hadn't been in years and we enjoyed it!

See if you can show him the size of that teddy bear's paws Wanda, they were amazing!

LOL Gerry!!! The others guys in the family wear semi hibernating but this guy was fussying about!

Isn't he huge George? When he walked around he sort of lumbered more than walked and the paws, they are huge!! Would not want to be slapped by them!!  Congrats on the U.S. hockey win over Finland!!!  Well guess they are in for Sunday!  Whoo Hoo!

Feb 26, 2010 08:44 AM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Al & Peggy - I think polor bears are one of the most beautiful creatures.  Great information about them too!

P.S.  I had no clue the Toronto Zoo was one of the largest zoo's in the world. 5,000 is A LOT of animals, it must be a great Zoo to spend the day at.

Feb 26, 2010 11:17 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Al & Peggy, What wonderful photos you got!  I love seeing them and reading some things I never knew about polar bears and other animals.  They certainly are beautiful!

Feb 26, 2010 11:30 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

To be honest Michelle, we didn't know it was one of the largest either, before this research we would  have guessed the San Diego was but not Toronto's.  See what you learn doing these things?

They truly are beautiful Carole, just so mesmerizing to watch as well.

Feb 26, 2010 12:33 PM
Yvette Chisholm
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Rockville, MD
Associate Broker - Rockville, MD 301-758-9500

I really enjoyed the polar bears at the Central Park Zoo!  Thanks for brining back some fond memories!

Feb 26, 2010 01:57 PM
FN LN
Toronto, ON

Al and Peggy - I wonder if the zoo has been making snow for our polar bears this year since we didn't have much of a winter, except for the big mid-December 2009 storm and some in the past few days.

Also, regarding your comment about my Scarborough Transit post on another post, you can take the TTC's 85 Sheppard East bus route which starts at the Sheppard subway station.  You will need to see this page http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/85/Eastbound.jsp for details regarding the specific bus to take since not all buses on the route go to the zoo.

Alternatively, you can take the 86 Scarborough route which departs from Kennedy subway station in Scarborough.  See http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/86/Eastbound.jsp for details as not all buses go to the zoo.

Oh, don't forget that Kennedy Road in Scarborough is NOT the same as Kennedy Road in Brampton.  Same name, different road. :)

Feb 26, 2010 02:01 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

They look so peaceful and harmless while lumbering along but are so ferocious. Especially protective of their cubs. Thanks for sharing

Feb 26, 2010 11:49 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Polar Bears are one of the main attractions at the Toronto Zoo, they are also one of the species that are being affected by global warning.

The San Diego Zoo is preparing a new venue with the Polar Bears opening on March 26, 2010.  Head over to the San Diego Zoo and watch a short video on the Polar Bear, click here.

Feb 26, 2010 11:54 PM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

How curious that our polar bears disappeared and then you have a post on polar bears. Hmmmm.

Feb 27, 2010 03:13 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Sounds like the big old polar bears are going to be heading back your way again soon Jim, take care of them okay?

Feb 28, 2010 12:08 AM
Lisa Hill
Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Beach Real Estate

That bear looks dirty. I think he needs a bath. You'd think all their swimming would keep them cleaner =P

Mar 12, 2010 01:38 PM