Can Polar Bears Breathe Underwater?

Polar bears have always lived near the sea. A polar bear is a white coloured huge and good looking animal. It is also called the Northern bear. It is because it is found in the Arctic Ocean. 

They look very beautiful and cute but don’t get to be fooled. I mean to say, they just look cute but they are not cute. On average, the weight of a newborn polar baby is about 1.6 pounds.

They are very wild and also expert hunters. Except for the Grizzly bear specie, they are the most powerful carnivore. They are very dangerous for both animals and humans.

In land mammals, they  are also known as the largest carnivorous on Earth. The average height for these bears is about six to eight feet from nose to tail. On average a male bear of this specie is larger in both height and weight. 

The weight of a normal bear can be more than 1,800 pounds. On other hand, both size and weight of a large female bear are about half that male. After a very successful season of hunting, They can grow their weight double than original weight.

Based on the change in climate and habitat, they are divided into many kinds of species. Some of them are very rare species. In some past years, over-hunting was a very critical and big issue for these species. Some of them were called “endangered species”.

With some kind of effective efforts and awareness, these issues are now normal. The production of endangered species is also increasing Now, these species are out of danger.

How big are polar bears when they are born?

They are looks very larger in size but when they are born, they look very small. They are toothless, blind and covered in a very thin and soft layer called “fur”. The size of a newborn child bear is about 26 cm. Their weight at the birth time could be 1 KG. 

After birth, they live with their mother for about 28 months. Due to their mother’s care and rich milk, they become able to walk soon. During this time, they also learn to hunt and survival tips from their mom. The life cycle of a bear of this specie is about 25 years. 

Can polar bears breathe underwater?

No, they cannot able to breathe under the water. As they are mammals, they need air to breathe. Fishes have gills to breathe underwater but they have lungs like humans. So, they need to inhale oxygen for breathing.  

As they can’t breathe underwater but they can hold it for the maximum time when they are hunting seals underwater. On other hand, they catch seals on the surface of the ice. It is because it is an easy way to catch them. For catching seals on the ice’s surface, they use their best techniques.  

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Are polar bears good swimmers?

This is not a surprising thing about them that they are very talented and good swimmers. They are also known as marine mammals.

They can swim for many hours continuously without any pause. It is because they live most of their lives on the water. They are also dependent on water for their food. Regardless of that, they are also linked with land mammals, they look very gorgeous in water.

They can swim long distances at the pace of 6 miles per hour.

During the swimming process, their nostrils are closed. They left their legs flat. Their forepaws work as paddles and hind paws serve as rudders. They have hollow hairs which also have positive effects on their swimming process. These hair work as a small boat. In this way, they feel easy when swimming.

How long can a polar bear swim underwater?

They are also known as an ice bear. Its body is designed in such a way that it can bear cold water very easily. They have a layer of fats on their body. The thickness of their layer is 2.4 inches on average. This adaptation helps them to stay warmer in the water during swimming.

Normally, they swim at depths of 10-15ft. They can cover a distance of 145-165ft. The longest dive which is recorded by a bear of this kind is to be 3 min and 10s. There is no confirmed knowledge from any research about their driving ability.

Can polar bears see underwater?

As they are called marine mammals, they can see underwater like most other marine mammals. They also have the adaptation of “eyelids.” This adaptation helps them to see under the water. 

They have a special membrane on their eye. It works as a second lens and also protects their eyes. Due to this membrane, they can see, when they are swimming. Additionally, they can look underwater easily at the depth of 15 to 20 feet.

Their ability to smell is so great. In this way, they remain very conscious about their roundabout.

How far can a polar bear swim?

They can swim 30 to 40 miles from the sea-land. The biggest swim which is recorded by a bear of this kind is 427 miles from the land. I also want to tell you that it is the distance from Washington to Boston. When they are swimming, their body weight becomes lighter than its original weight. 

Due to climate changes, the temperature of the earth rises. It also rises in the Arctic region. After increasing the temperature, the ice melted. So, they are forced to swim for long intervals of time. According to present searches, swimming on this level plays an important in their survival.

How long can polar bears stay in the water?

In any emergency, they can stay in water for many days. They can maintain their temperature in very severe conditions. Even, though the temperature of the outer surface falls at -35°F they can manage their body temperature at 98.6°F.

 As we mentioned, their body temperature is very warm and it gets warmer on summer days. So, they spend their most of time swimming during the summer season.

Do polar bears drown?

As we mentioned, they are very good swimmers but they can face trouble during long swims. They can also face troubles during storms and other kinds of climate-changing issues.

Sometimes, there is a great gap between the beach and sea ice. These conditions are very difficult for child ones.

Conclusion

They cannot able to breathe underwater but they can hold their breath for more than 2 minutes. They close their nose during swimming. In this way, they protect themselves from entering water into their body.

They have spent most of their life at sea. It is because they depend on the sea for food and to maintain their body’s temperature. As we mentioned, they are very talented swimmers. So, they can swim to big destinations. Their thick layer helps them to survive in cold water.

FAQ’s

Do they live in Antarctica?

No, they are not live in the Antarctic. They live in the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is part of the Russian state of Alaska.  

Why do polar bears have white fur?

They do have no white fur. In reality, they have black skin under their fur. They have double-coated hair which reflects white light. Due to this reason, they look white.

Where do polar bears sleep?

In sleeping, they are like humans. They sleep about 8 hours a day. Usually, they are sleeping in dry and wide places. In this way, they can easily observe any threat. They also sleep at dig shallow places. 

Why are polar bears important?

They are the main factor in the food chain. The food chain is also a great factor in stabilizing the environment. In this way, they help a lot in controlling the environmental conditions. Moreover, they are also a great predator of the Arctic Ocean.

Do polar bears eat penguins?

No, they are not able to eat Penguins in their diet. It is because Penguins are found in the Antarctic area and they are found in the Arctic Ocean. They like to eat seals. It is because these are their easy prey.

Can polar bears swim well?

No, they are not able to swim very effectively but they can swim enough to survive themselves. So, they are known as marine mammals. It is due to their swimming abilities.