TOP 10 FACTS ABOUT POLAR BEARS

1. February 27 is National Polar Bear Day, aimed at publicising conservation efforts for the threatened species. 2. Polar bears can reach a height of 9 feet tall and a weight of 1400 pounds. 3. They have large front paws, which are slightly webbed and used to paddle, and the bears are powerful swimmers. 4. Polar bears have black skin and although their fur appears white, it is actually transparent. 5. Polar bears live in the Arctic, but numbers are declining as the planet warms. 6. Seals make up most of a polar bear’s diet. 7. Their sense of smell is so good, they can sniff out prey from up to 16km away. 8. They are the largest carnivores that live on land. 9. Female polar bears give birth to their cubs in snow dens (in November or December), where the family is protected from the harsh Arctic environment. 10. At birth, the cubs are only as large as a guinea pig.