International Polar Bear Day is organized by Polar Bears International. It's a day to raise awareness on the threats that polar bears face, like warming in the Arctic. Below we have some fast facts about our fluffy friends from the Arctic and some things you can do to help 'em out.
Polar Bears are excellent swimmers. They can swim for long distances and steadily for many hours to get from one piece of ice to another.
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Male polar bears can weigh up to 800kg and be 3 meters long. They are often twice the size of females.
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When a polar bear’s coat gets dirty they clean themselves in an adorable fashion by rolling their bodies across the snow.
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They have a strong sense of smell, they can also sense another animal on the ice from up to 20 miles away.
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Polar bears are mostly solitary creatures but they sometimes hang out in groups called sleuths. Polar bears also have an excellent memory and are able to remember other bears they've met before!
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Polar Bears International suggests a few ways that the day can be observed. First, they suggest people take a pledge for action to be taken on the climate. They then recommend taking a "thermostat challenge" to reduce carbon emissions that are aiding the endangerment of polar bears. The challenge can be done by turning down the thermostat for the day, and by buying a programmable thermostat or taking other measures to reduce carbon consumption year-round. The less energy that is used from carbon-based fuels, the fewer carbon emissions there will be, which will slow global warming.
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Here is one of the many awesome websites designed to help the polar bears: https://support.worldwildlife.org
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