International Polar Bear Day

February 27 is International Polar Bear Day

What’s so special about Polar Bears? Polar bears are classified as the largest marine mammals and the most carnivorous of the bear species. Polar Bears are about 7-8 feet long measured from nose to the tip of their very short tail.

To honor our Arctic friends’ special day, our pals from National Today www.nationaltoday.com shared some facts about these mysterious mammals.

1. POLAR BEARS AREN’T ACTUALLY WHITE
Believe it or not, polar bears white coat isn’t actually white … it’s transparent. Polar bears are covered in a thick layer of clear, air-filled fur that luminesces in the light. Underneath all that hair is black skin designed to absorb the warmth of sunlight.

2. POLAR BEARS ARE THE MICHAEL PHELPS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
Don’t be fooled by polar bear’s chubby look. Polar bears are excellent swimmers and swim up to 60 miles at a single stretch—without rest—in search of food. As global warming melts the Arctic ice caps, the distances polar bears have to cross are growing ever larger.

3. ACCORDING TO THE ESKIMOS, POLAR BEARS ARE SHAPE-SHIFTERS
In the Inuit (Eskimo) culture, polar bears are regarded as magical creatures of great strength and spiritual power. According to Inuit tradition, polar bears frequently shape-shift into humans and back. They also taught us how to hunt seals.

4. CANADA HAS MORE POLAR BEARS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY
According to estimates, 60%-80% of the world’s polar bear population is concentrated in Canada. The kings of the Arctic are also native to Russia, the United States, Denmark, Greenland, and Norway.

The animated polar bears debuted in 1993 as part of the ‘Always Coca-Cola’ campaign. (photo from Coca-Cola)

5. COCA-COLA HELPED POLAR BEARS CAPTURE OUR HEARTS
The CEO of Coca-Cola took a trip to the Arctic to see the impacts of climate change in the Arctic and save the Polar Bears. Ken Stewart is the creator of the Coca-Cola Polar Bears. Read more on The Story of the Coca-Cola Polar Bears.

Who knew polar bears were some of the coolest creatures on the planet? Golden Thanks to National Day for sharing this fun polar bear information. Unfortunately, two-thirds of these awesome animals could disappear by 2050 due to sea ice depletion.

To learn more about International Polar Bear Day, including ways to save and get involved, you can visit nationaltoday.com/world/international-polar-bear-day and Polar Bear International Day.