What makes Polar bears prefer the cold as opposed to other bears?
In: Biology
It’s not the cold so much as the coastline.
They’re well optimized for hunting in the Arctic – they’re the apex predator of the far north and rarely eat any plants.
The coloration is obvious, but they also have special water-wicking fur to keep them dry and warm even when they’re soaking wet. They’re skilled swimmers and powerful hunters.
That makes them great predators for the frozen coasts, but these advantages disappear when you head into the inland pine forests.
On land, the supply of seals drops to zero and the more omnivorous lifestyle of the grizzly bear is more successful.
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