Imagine trying to survive in the frozen Arctic, on sea ice around the North Pole. For many animals, a habitat like this would be impossible. Yet the polar bear, a mammal up to 3 meters long, thrives there, thanks to features that scientists call adaptations: traits that help a living thing survive in its environment.
Consider a thick layer of fat called blubber: this adaptation keeps it warm in freezing water. The word blubber refers to a thick layer of fat under the skin. Equally important is wide, furry paws, which spread its weight so it does not sink into snow or break thin ice. Without these traits, the polar bear would struggle to last a single season.
As a carnivore, the polar bear is an animal that eats other animals; it depends on seals, fish and bird eggs. Its behavior matters as much as its body: it waits beside holes in the ice for seals to come up for air. Behaviors like this are adaptations too, even though you cannot see them in a photograph.
The next generation faces the same challenges. Young polar bears, called cubs, depend on their surroundings and on adult care. Cubs are born in a snow den in winter and stay with their mother for about two years.
Perhaps most remarkable of all: under its white fur, a polar bear's skin is black, which helps it soak up heat from the sun. Facts like this remind us that every animal's body tells a story about the place it lives.