Where do polar bears live. Where do polar bears and penguins live Polar bears: habitat

According to popular belief, polar bears and penguins live where there is a lot of snow and ice. This is true, but although these species prefer extreme conditions, in natural environment they do not live in the same area. Polar bears love the Arctic, and penguins love Antarctica. Let's take a closer look at where polar bears and penguins live.

Polar bears - habitat and habits

In their natural environment, polar bears live in the polar regions of the North Pole. These animals are well adapted to life in the harsh north with extremely low temperatures. Due to the impressive reserves of subcutaneous fat and thick fur, polar bears feel comfortable both on land and in icy water. Such a habitat does not prevent large predators from leading a full-fledged lifestyle.

polar bears in natural conditions live in several countries, including Russia, Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Norway. Large predators do not have a tendency to migrate, they live in a specific area, preferring areas with open water, as fish are a favorite food. polar bear.

In the summer, due to rising temperatures, polar bears disperse. Some animals are found even at the North Pole. Today, the number of these animals compared to previous years is small, but not critical, so it is too early to talk about the disappearance of the species from the face of the planet.

The polar bear is a large land predator. In nature, males weighing up to 800 kg are often found. The average weight of a male is 450 kg. Females weigh half as much, but before wintering or during pregnancy, they significantly increase body weight. The brown bear is considered the closest relative of the white bear, so crossing these species usually ends in success.

Peculiarities of seasonal behavior of polar bears

It is striking that polar bears do not have a hibernation period. They remain active throughout the year. With the approach of cold weather, animals actively gain subcutaneous fat.

Polar bears owe their name to the color of their fur. AT winter time Animals use fur for camouflage. special attention deserves the quick wits of polar bears. While waiting for prey, these massive predators cover their nose with their paw, which is the only dark spot. In summer, the polar bear's fur takes on a straw hue. This is the merit of ultraviolet rays.

I note that the polar bear has a multi-level "robe". Black skin, perfectly absorbing solar heat, is covered with a fluffy undercoat. The animal also has long protective hairs. They are transparent and have excellent thermal conductivity.

Polar bears are extremely hardy. Despite their decent body mass, the animals move quickly, taking advantage of hopping. Often, in pursuit of prey, a predator overcomes up to 500 meters.

The polar bear also feels great in the water. Without a break, he swims up to 1 km. This animal is also an excellent diver. For five minutes, he is quietly engaged in spearfishing.

The diet of the polar bear includes fish, marine and land animals. Sometimes seals also get on the predator's table. Thanks to a decent supply of fat, he goes without food for a long time, but if luck smiled, he eats up to 20 kg of meat at a time.

Polar bears don't drink. They get the liquid they need for a full existence from food of animal origin. I note that due to the cold climate they do not have profuse sweating. So they practically do not lose moisture.

Penguins - habitat and habits

Penguins are funny birds. They have wings, but they don't fly. On land they are clumsy, but in the water they are extremely graceful. Many people are of the opinion that they live only in Antarctica. This is not true. This part of the planet is inhabited by only 3 species, the rest of the species like warmer climes.

With the exception of the period of reproduction and feeding of offspring, penguins stay in the open sea of ​​the Southern Hemisphere. The bulk of birds are concentrated in Antarctica and on the territory of nearby islands. In tropical latitudes, they appear in places with a cold current. The Galapagos Islands, which are located near the equator, are considered the northernmost habitat of penguins.

Where are penguins found?

• Antarctica. A continent with a harsh climate, eternal ice and extremely low temperatures has become perfect place for the life of the Antarctic and Emperor penguins, as well as the Adélie species. From early spring to mid-autumn, they live in the ocean, after which they return to land, unite in colonies, build nests, breed and feed offspring.
• Africa. The hot African coast, washed by the cold Benguela current, was chosen by spectacled penguins. This species is incredibly sociable. It is not surprising that many tourists annually come to the Cape of Good Hope for an unforgettable experience with birds.
• Australia. The Australian or blue penguin lives here. It differs from other species in its modest weight and small stature - 1 kg and 35 cm, respectively. The largest number of representatives small kind concentrated on Phillip Island. Travelers visit this place to admire the "Penguin Parade". Small birds gather at the water's edge in small groups, after which they march to burrows in the sand hills.
• Argentina. The Orkney and Shetland Islands are home to King penguins that grow up to a meter high. Authorities Latin America In every possible way they protect these birds, which contributes to an increase in the population.
• New Zealand . Magnificent penguins live on the local islands - the most rare view. Their distinctive feature is living in pairs. They do not gather in the colony. Due to the small number of individuals, the species is protected.
• South Atlantic . golden-haired penguins found on the coast of Chile, in the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego. Their huge colonies attract tourists with amazing singing males that attract females so much.
• Peru. The Peruvian coast, along which the cold current passes, is the home of the Humboldt penguins. For various reasons, their number decreases annually, there are a total of 12 thousand pairs.

As you can see, there are a considerable number of penguin species, each of which lives in its own amazing corner. These birds are unique, and humanity is simply obliged to make sure that they continue to please us with a unique view and other individual features.

Features of the seasonal behavior of penguins

The way of life of penguins is extremely unusual. It is not surprising, because these flightless birds use their wings as fins, and all parents take part in raising and feeding offspring.

In penguins, the courtship period ends with the establishment of offspring. The result of the joint efforts of a married couple is an egg. It needs protection from snow, otherwise, under the influence of low temperatures, the offspring will die on initial stage.

The female carefully transfers the egg to the paws of the male and goes in search of food. Having received an egg, the male envelops the future baby with an abdominal fold. He will have to warm the egg for 2 months. Often, in order to preserve offspring, the male resorts to the help of other members of the fraternity.

After the appearance of the baby, the male feeds him with milk, the production of which is responsible for the stomach and esophagus of the bird. Penguin milk is an incredibly nutritious liquid, containing 10 times more fat and protein than cow's milk.

While the father takes care of the child, the female catches squid and fish. The penguin's tongue is covered with "needles" turned in the direction of the pharynx. If the prey hit the beak, it will not work to escape.

Penguins hunt in packs. Gathered in big company females dive into the water and, opening their mouths wide, fly at speed into a school of fish. After such a maneuver, a tidbit is sure to be in the mouth.

Upon her return, the female, who has gained weight, feeds the starving members of the family. In your stomach caring mother brings up to 4 kg of half-digested food. The little penguin is transplanted onto its mother's paws and eats the brought delicacies for several weeks.

Video material

Where do polar bears and penguins live in captivity?

Every visitor to the zoo must have seen a polar bear. Spacious pens are equipped for these animals, where conditions are created that are as close as possible to the natural environment. It's about about imitation of a cold climate, creation of reservoirs with ice water and snow shelters.

The world around us - grade 1 of the EMC "School of Russia".

Topic: Where do polar bears live?

The goals of the teacher: to form ideas about the cold (Arctic Ocean, Antarctica, North and South Pole s) areas of the Earth, about the diversity of life in these areas, find these areas on the map, features vegetation and animals; cultivate a sense of love for their homeland.

Lesson type: solving particular problems.

Planned educational outcomes:

subject: learn to find the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica on the globe, characterize them, exercise self-control; give examples of animals in cold regions; will have the opportunity to learn how to view and compare textbook illustrations, extract information about the animal world from them; make assumptions and prove them; understand the educational task of the lesson and strive to fulfill it; work in pairs, using the information provided to gain new knowledge.

Metasubject: to master the ability to understand the educational task of the lesson and strive to fulfill it; anwser the questions; to form a willingness to listen to the interlocutor and conduct a dialogue, evaluate their achievements in the lesson; relate the concepts learned to real-life examples.

Personal: the formation of a holistic, socially oriented view of the world in its limited unity and diversity of nature; development of motives learning activities and personal meaning of the doctrine; recognize the possibility of the existence of different points of view and the right of everyone to have their own, express their opinion and argue their point of view and assessment of events.

Educational Resources: a map of the hemispheres, a globe, slides depicting animals, a tape recorder.

I. Organizing time, the message of the topic and objectives of the lesson.

Ant. Recently I went to the zoo and saw a polar bear and a walrus in an enclosure with a swimming pool. Guys, I thought, where is the birthplace of these animals?

Where do the polar bear and walrus live? Maybe, you know?

Students. The polar bear lives in the North.

Teacher. Let us go on a journey to find out exactly where polar bears, walruses, penguins and other inhabitants of the cold territories of the globe live.

Guys, I have a seven-color flower in my hands. Let's tear off the petal, make a wish and say in chorus:

Fly, fly, petal

Through the west, to the east,

Through the north, through the south,

Come back, make a circle.

As soon as you touch the ground

To be, in my opinion, led.

II. Work on the topic of the lesson.

Ordered that we all be in the North as a class. You are all warmly dressed.

Here is the Arctic Ocean.

(Slide 2)

What covers most of the Arctic Ocean?

Students. Ice and snow.

Teacher

Students .North Pole. (Showing the North Pole by the teacher on the globe.)

Teacher. This is the Arctic. It has attracted people for a long time. Unfortunately, due to the development of the Arctic by man, its nature was in danger. Now hunting for rare animals is prohibited. A reserve has been opened on Wrangel Island (shows on the map).

(slide 3)

And then there's the white bear...

- Describe it.

Students. Fluffy, thick long hair, wide paws.

Teacher. What is it for?

Students. It's cold in the north. This is necessary for life in the north.

Teacher. The polar bear is the largest predatory animal on Earth. He lives only in the Arctic. He spends his whole life in the ice.

What do you think he eats?

Students. Fish.

Teacher. Of course, fish, but sometimes you don’t mind feasting on birds and seals. ( Slide 4)

Seals are very clumsy on ice floes and become prey to polar bears. The weight of a polar bear is about 700 kg. This is the largest predatory animal on earth.

Teacher. (slide 5)- Who is wandering among the ice floes?

These are male polar bears, and females, future mothers, lie down in snow dens for the winter. Here, in the dead of winter, tiny bear cubs are born, which are no larger than kittens. In the lair frosts and winds frosts and winds are not terrible for cubs. The mother feeds them with milk, warms them. When the cubs grow up and leave the den together with their mother, the bear will teach them to fish, and then seals.

Fizkultminutka.

(Sounds a song about a bear from the movie " Caucasian captive» .)

Somewhere in the world

Where it's always cold

Bears rubbing their backs

About the earth's axis

Centuries float by

Sleep under sea ​​ice,

Bears rub their backs

The earth is spinning.

(slide 6)

Teacher. Guys! And who is this?

Students. Walruses.

Teacher. Yes, those are walruses. They look like seals, but are much larger than them. You see how few animals have become in the north. The polar bear and the walrus are listed in the Red Book. The task of all mankind is to preserve them. Numerous vessels passing along the sea route pollute the water, various harmful substances enter here. Pollution of the northern seas has a very bad effect on the life of animals living here. Wise Turtle. Think guys, do polar bears hunt penguins?

Teacher. Let's find out where the penguins live.

Let's tear off a petal, make a wish and say in chorus:

Fly, fly, petal

Through the west, to the east,

Through the north, through the south,

Come back, make a circle.

As soon as you touch the ground

To be, in my opinion, led.

They told us to go to Antarctica as a class. (Points to the globe.)

(slide 5)

Teacher. What is Antarctica?

Students. This is a huge piece of sushi.

Teacher. What is Antarctica covered with?

Students. Ice.

Teacher. Which pole is located here?

Students. South Pole.

Teacher. Penguins live here in Antarctica. ( slide 6)

The biggest- emperor penguins. Their height is 80 cm, and their weight is from 25 to 40 kg. Penguins are excellent swimmers. They eat fish and squid. In water, a penguin can run at a speed of 36 km/h. Sometimes he accelerates so much that he flies out of the water onto the ice.

So do polar bears eat penguins?

Students. Polar bears do not hunt penguins because these animals live in different parts of the Earth.

Teacher. In addition to penguins, albatrosses live in Antarctica. (Slide 7)

This is a large bird that can be seen off the coast of Antarctica. The wingspan of this bird is 3-3.5 m. (Stand three students side by side, arms outstretched).

Our journey has come to an end, but we will return to it again. And now I will wave my magic wand, and we will find ourselves in our class.

III. Primary understanding and consolidation.

Work in the workbook (p.11)

IV. Lesson results.

What did they talk about in class?

Where do polar bears live?

What would you like to know more about?

Lesson prepared

teacher of the beginning classes

MOBU SOSH#4

Meleuz

Kryuchina L.V.

: bears - in polar regions northern hemisphere, penguins - in the waters of Antarctica, off the coast of New Zealand, South America.

The similarity between them is that both live in the coldest regions of the Earth.

Where and how do polar bears live?

Polar bears settled in the northern territories of Russia, Canada, the USA, on the coast of the Barents Sea, Chukchi, Wrangel Island, Greenland, and on the lands of Lapland. When the weather is favorable, the animals reach the North Pole.

Even the Arctic desert has become their habitat - the zone of the Arctic deserts, where in winter the temperature can drop to -60 ° C, and at the very warm time year, in July, it rises only to +3 °C.

For most of the year, hurricane-force icy winds blow there, snowstorms are frequent, and in the harsh Arctic summer, at almost constant 0 ° C, gray clouds cover the sky, and fog from the ocean envelops the land. There is no vegetation in the Arctic deserts, with the exception of rare islands of lichen and moss. There are no animals except for the polar bear, arctic fox, lemming on land, and in the sea - walrus and seal.

How do bears survive in the Arctic wilderness?

They have adapted perfectly to the merciless climate!

The polar bear, he is the polar bear, umka, oshkuy, is the largest land predator on the planet. Scientists and travelers have observed animals up to 3 m in length and over 1 ton in weight.

The layer of subcutaneous fat in a bear is up to 10 cm, and together with internal (“internal”, as they say in the north) fat, it makes up about 40% of body weight. With such a “heater” and at the same time a “stove” (fat is the main energy supplier in the body), the umka is not afraid of the monstrous frost of the Arctic, its storms and winds.

To match the fat layer and the fur of a polar bear. It has a special structure: white translucent villi let in only ultraviolet rays and do not let in infrared radiation, preventing the animal's body from cooling down. The villi resemble tubules - inside they are hollow and are air chambers, which serves as another barrier to cold air. The fur grows even on the soles of the animal: in such "boots" the animal does not slip and does not freeze.


The unique thermal insulation allows the predator to live quietly in the snow and overcome tens of kilometers of the Arctic deserts and literally icy Arctic waters.

Where and how do penguins live?

Seven species of penguins - emperor, Adélie penguin, Antarctic, royal, golden-haired, gentoo and crested - have chosen even more severe territory - Antarctica, the polar regions of the Southern Hemisphere - as their place of residence. At the South Pole recorded in December 2013 the most low temperature on Earth - -91.2 ° C. And on average, the temperature of Antarctica in winter is -60 ° C, in summer - -30 ° C.

But, of course, land birds penguins do not live in such monstrous conditions. So, the crested penguin lives on Tierra del Fuego, Tasmania, and the islands of the Subantarctic. The endemic of the Snares archipelago - the Snares crested penguin - lives on islands that are densely overgrown with shrubs and trees. Subantarctic penguin - in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Kerguelen, Heard and others.

The largest and fattest birds are emperor penguins, which weigh an average of 40 kg, are distributed south to the South Pole, farthest of all and live on the ice surrounding Antarctica. Only for incubation of eggs, they swim away to warmer places.

How do penguins stay warm in Antarctica?

Flightless birds in “black tailcoats” have adapted to live, if not in severe cold, like polar bears, but in constant “coolness”, when in summer the temperature often does not rise above + 5 ° C, and in winter it is predominantly -30 ° C.

They have a thick layer of fat - up to 3 cm, dense waterproof feathers, between which there is a lot of air - an "air chamber". But the most interesting thing is the paws of the penguins! They not only do not freeze, but also do not freeze to ice, snow.

Completely naked - without feathers, fluff - penguin paws have a temperature of only +4 ° C. Such a physiological setting allows you to endure severe frost as a norm. At the same time, the body temperature of the bird is 39 ... 40 ° C. Wise nature provided penguins with a unique mechanism of blood circulation, organized on the principle of reverse outflow.

With it, hot arterial blood, on the way to the paws, passes very close to the veins and gives off part of its heat to the already cold venous blood. Venous blood carries heat back to the heart, and cooled arterial blood goes to the paws, maintaining only +4 ° C in them. If the paws of the penguins were hot, they would freeze very quickly, but first they froze into the ice, killing the bird.


Another mechanism of protection from the cold - groups. So, emperor penguins gather in a dense group, heating the air inside it to +35 ° C, when it is -20 ° C outside. Penguins "circulate" in the group, moving from the center to the edge and back.

Where do polar bears and penguins live (lesson game)

Goals: 1. To form an idea of ​​the diversity of the nature of the Earth;

• 2. To acquaint with the cold regions of the earth - the North and South Poles, with the fauna of these regions;
• 3. Make an application from cut threads, instill accuracy;
• 4. Develop curiosity, cultivate love for all living things.

Equipment: 1. Globe;

• 2. Drawings of nature and fauna of the Arctic Ocean, Antarctica;
• 3. Flower - seven-flower;
• 4. Application sample; bear templates;
• 5. Each student has a cardboard blue color, white woolen threads, PVA glue, scissors, red and green signal cards.

Explanatory note

This integrated lesson of the surrounding world was held in the 1st grade in the third quarter in January according to the thematic plan.

The whole lesson is built in the form of a game-journey with the help of the Seven-flower Flower. Tearing off the petals of a flower, children find themselves where polar bears and penguins live; at the same time, they say verses from a fairy tale: “Fly, fly a petal, through the west and east, through the north, through the south, return, making a circle. As soon as you touch the ground, to be our way!" Work form - choral learning. Repetition of the material covered carried out in the form games"Yes - no" using signal cards. Introduction to new material goes through teacher's story, textbook work and in Workbook, through practical work - application of a polar bear from cardboard and woolen threads, which helps to activate the attention of children, interest in the subject, develops creative independence. For consolidation of the studied material during the lesson conversation about where you've been, what you've seen and learned. Outcome given in the form tasks for logical thinking: "Do polar bears hunt penguins?" If the children answered this question and substantiated their answer, then the lesson achieved its goals.

During the classes

I. Organizational moment

Today we will go on a journey, visit the coldest regions of our Earth, find out where polar bears and penguins live. But first, WARM-UP.

II. Game "Yes - No"

Previously studied material is repeated in the form of a game.

Children have signal cards: a green circle means the answer is “Yes”, a red circle means “No”.

Guys, now we will play the game "YES - NO". I will read the sentences, if you agree with what they say, then raise the green circle, if you do not agree - red.

The teacher reads the sentences:

• - Were you adults in the past? (No)
• - Is the present what is happening now? (Yes)
• Will Saturday come after Friday? (Yes)
• Is the first day of the week Tuesday? (No)
• - Between Wednesday and Friday - Thursday? (Yes)
• Will summer come after spring? (Yes)
• - December, January, February is winter months? (Yes)
• Does spring come before winter? (No)
• - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are the months? (No)
• Does winter come after autumn? (Yes)

If there was a wrong sentence, then the children correct it, for example:

- Were you adults in the past? (No, we were babies in the past.)

III. Working on a new theme

• - Children, let's look at the blackboard and remember the topic of the lesson ( Where do polar bears and penguins live?
• - And the Tsvetik - the seven-flower will help us find out about this.
• (A flower with petals is attached on a magnetic board)

One student goes to the board, tears off a petal, and everyone says:

Fly fly petal

Through the west to the east

Through the north, through the south,

Come back, make a circle.

As soon as you touch the ground

Be our way!

The teacher continues:

• - Tell them to be where the polar bears live!
• (Children close their eyes, the teacher opens one half of the board, where pictures of the nature of the north, the animal world are posted)
• - Where are we? Snow, ice all around, it's very cold here. ( In the north)
• - We need to urgently arm ourselves with everything necessary. Look at task 1 page 31 in the Workbook and tell us what do we need? ( Hat, jacket, mittens, skis and snowmobiles are useful for movement)
• - There is a very cold area on Earth - this is the Arctic Ocean. Most of it is constantly covered with ice and snow (the Teacher shows on the globe and on the map the Arctic Ocean). The North Pole is located in this region of the Earth. (Show on the globe)
• - Look at page 72 of the textbook, who is meeting us? (Students look at the pictures and read the names of animals: walrus, seal, cod, skua, polar bear)

The teacher talks about polar bears:

Polar bears live on Far North, beyond the polar circle, among eternal ice and snow - on the islands and the cold coast of the Arctic Ocean. This is the largest, strongest and most powerful animal from the bear family. It weighs about 700 kg, and the length of its body reaches three meters.

Polar bears are covered from head to toe with thick white fur. The fur grows even on the pads of the paws, so the animals move easily and quickly on snow and ice. Bear fur perfectly retains the heat of his body. Thanks to their thick undercoat, they are not afraid of even the most severe frosts.

Polar bears are excellent swimmers and can stay in the water for hours. Water does not penetrate under their fur coat, and therefore, even in frost, they remain dry and they are not afraid of any cold. Bears in the most severe frosts bathe in icy water. They swim well, dive and often take long walks, moving away from land into the open sea for tens of kilometers. A lot of time the polar bear spends on floating ice floes, wanders along the coast and only occasionally goes into the depths of the land.

The favorite food of polar bears is seals, fish, seaweed, bird eggs, arctic foxes.

Polar bears hibernate in ice dens. In November or December, a mother bear digs a deep lair in the snow. After 1-2 months, two or three babies are born, who sleep with her in a warm den until spring. Polar bear cubs stay with their mother for about two years after birth. All this time she feeds them, takes care of them.

VI. Practical work

And now we will try to make our own polar bears.

The teacher demonstrates a sample application, and the order of work is determined:

• 1. Draw the silhouette of a bear according to the template on blue cardboard.
• 2. Take white woolen threads and wrap them around the fingers of your left hand (if the child is left-handed, then he wraps the fingers of his right hand).
• 3. Remove the threads from your fingers and cut into pieces, no more than 1 cm long.
• 4. Spread glue on the bear and apply cut threads. Work carefully.
• 5. Thick wool is ready, it remains to glue the eye and nose on top
• - How to do it? ( Cut out small circles from black paper and glue)

The students who completed the application before the others start doing task 2 in the Workbook on page 31. They find the differences in the pictures. The job is then checked.

VII. Physical minute

1. The cubs lived with their mother, 2. I'm not afraid of frost,

They turned their heads. I'm very close with him.

Like this, like this! (Movement) Frost will come to me

They waddled, Touched the hand, touched the nose.

And they drank water from the sea. (Show hand, nose)

Like this, like this! (Movement) So, you must not yawn

And then they danced, jump, run and play

Paws raised together. (Movement)

Like this, like this! (Movement)

VIII. Textbook work

Reading students in a chain read the text aloud on page 72 of the textbook. bear penguin antarctica arctic

The teacher asks questions about the content of the reading:

• What are the cold regions of the Earth called? ( Arctic Ocean and Antarctica)
• What covers most of the Arctic Ocean? ( Ice and snow)
• - Which pole is located in this cold region of the Earth? ( North Pole)
• - So, guys, at what pole do polar bears live? ( On the North)
• - There are two poles on Earth: North and South. (The teacher shows the poles on the globe) The region of the Earth where the South Pole is located is called Antarctica. Guys, what do you think, will it be necessary to take off warm clothes if we find ourselves at the South Pole, in Antarctica? ( No, because it's cold there too)

And now the Flower - the seven-flower will help us to be in Antarctica!

Again, the poem “Fly, fly a petal ...” is read in chorus, the student tears off another petal and the teacher pronounces a desire:

Tell our class to be at the South Pole!

At this time, the children close their eyes, and the teacher closes one and opens the second half of the board, where there are pictures depicting the nature and fauna of Antarctica.

• What part of the world are we in? ( In Antarctica)
• - What animals live here? Are they familiar to you? ( Children immediately recognize the penguins)

On page 73 of the textbook, children read the text, get acquainted with the animal world of Antarctica. The teacher talks about penguins in detail:

Cling to the shore of the steep cold.

Blizzard builds blue cities.

The wind rushes through the snow like a dog

Because frost bites his nose.

Even the ice is not used to this weather,

And the ice continent is bursting at the seams.

And the penguins, and the penguins, at least that:

They run out for a walk without a coat.

They are frosty - unfreezing:

Antarctica is a warm home for penguins.

In black tailcoats, in white T-shirts all year round

This amazing people is walking. ( G.Goppe)

Penguins are sea birds. They dive and swim well, getting their own food: fish, crabs, crustaceans.

Penguins cannot fly because they have flippers instead of wings to help them swim.

The growth of penguins is about a meter. The head and back are black with a blue and green tint, and the feathers on the abdomen are dazzling white. When the penguins come ashore, it seems that these are people leisurely walking in pairs and singly in elegant black tailcoats. Penguins do not have down feathers, but they do have a thick layer of fat under their skin that prevents severe frosts and winds.

It is always cold in Antarctica: no more than one degree of heat in summer, and 60 degrees of frost in winter. But even in such harsh conditions, penguins hatch chicks.

In the midst of frost, the penguin lays one egg. The future parents greet the appearance of the egg with joyful cries, bow and thank each other. Then the father penguin takes the egg and hides it in the fat fold on the abdomen. Now he will keep him on his fins for two months, standing in the bitter cold and strong wind almost without moving. All this time, the penguin does not eat anything and lives only at the expense of fat, which he accumulated in the summer. And the mother penguin at this time swims and dives into the sea, fattening up.

But then a chick appears, and now his mother is raising him. It doesn't last long. As soon as the penguin gets on its feet, it is sent to the penguin Kindergarten where he will be among other penguins under the supervision of adult penguins. And the parents, meanwhile, will go to sea for food for the kids.

• What is the name of the region of the Earth where the South Pole is located? ( Antarctica)
• - What is the surface of this huge piece of land covered with? ( Thick layer of ice)
• - What animals live here? ( Penguins)

IX. Lesson summary

• - The wise Turtle has prepared for you a very interest Ask. Let's read this question on page 73 of the textbook:
• - Do polar bears hunt penguins? ( No, because these animals live in different regions of the Earth)
• - What cold regions of the Earth have we learned about? (Arctic Ocean and Antarctica)
• - What poles are located in these areas? ( North Pole and South Pole) Show on the globe.
• - Where do polar bears live? ( At the North Pole)
• - Where do penguins live? ( In Antarctica)
• “Today's journey has come to an end. How can we get back home?

The student tears off another petal, and the children read the poem “Fly, fly a petal ...” in unison, the teacher pronounces a wish:

Tell our class to go home!

The children close their eyes, and the teacher, meanwhile, covers the other half of the board.

Here we are at home in our class. We still need a magic flower. It will help you find out where elephants live. But this will be the next trip and in another lesson of the "World Around".

Thanks for the lesson!

- a predator included in the suborder of canids, the bear family and the bear genus. This unique mammal belongs to endangered species. Its most famous names are umka, oshkuy, nanuk and polar bear. He lives in the north, eats fish and smaller animals, sometimes attacks humans. Just a few centuries ago, its numbers exceeded hundreds of thousands of individuals, but their systematic destruction forced the defenders of nature to sound the alarm.

Where does the polar bear live?

The polar bear lives exclusively in the subpolar regions of the northern hemisphere, but this does not mean that the animal lives wherever the arctic snow does not melt. Most bears do not go beyond 88 degrees north latitude, while the extreme point of their distribution in the south is the island of Newfoundland, whose few inhabitants risk their lives daily, trying to get along with a dangerous predator.

The inhabitants of the arctic and tundra zones of Russia, Greenland, the USA and Canada are also well acquainted with the polar bear. Most of the animals live in areas with drifting, multi-year ice, where many seals and walruses also live. Most often, a bear can be seen near a large polynya, on the edge of which it freezes in anticipation of a seal or fur seal that has risen from the depths.

It is impossible to accurately determine the mainland where the polar bear lives for the most part. The most extensive populations of these animals were named after the place of their main concentration. So, most predators prefer:

• eastern shores of the Kara and East Siberian seas, cold waters of the Laptev Sea, New Siberian Islands and archipelago New Earth(Laptev population);
• the shores of the Barents Sea, the western part of the Kara Sea, the islands of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, Frans Josef Land and Svalbard (Kara-Barents Sea population);
• Chukchi Sea, northern part Bering Sea, East Siberian Sea, Wrangel and Herald Islands (Chukotka-Alaska population).

White bears are rarely found directly in the Arctic, preferring more southern and warm seas where they are more likely to survive. Habitat is variable and associated with boundaries polar ice. If the Arctic summer drags on and the ice begins to melt, then the animals move closer to the pole. With the onset of winter, they return to the south, preferring the ice-covered coastal zones and the mainland.

Description of the polar bear

The polar bears described below are the most large mammals predators on the planet. They owe their significant dimensions to their distant ancestor, which became extinct thousands of years ago. The giant polar bear was at least 4 meters long and weighed about 1.2 tons.

The modern polar bear is somewhat inferior in mass and height. So, the maximum length of a white bear does not exceed 3 meters with a body weight of up to 1 ton. The average weight of males does not exceed 500 kilograms, females weigh 200-350 kilograms. The height of an adult animal at the withers is only 1.2-1.5 meters, while the giant polar bear reached a height of 2-2.5 meters.

Woolen cover, features of the structure of the body and head

The whole body of the white bear is covered with fur, which protects against severe frosts and allows you to feel comfortable even in icy water. Only the nose and paw pads are devoid of fur. The color of the fur coat can be crystal white, yellowish and even green.

In fact, the animal's coat is devoid of pigmentation, it is colorless, the hairs are hollow, dense, hard, located at a minimum distance from each other. There is a well-developed undercoat, under which black skin with a 10 cm layer of fat is found.

The white color of the coat serves as an ideal disguise for the animal. A lurking bear is not easy to figure out even experienced hunter, seals and walruses often become victims of this cunning and cruel predator.

The structure of the body, head and legs

Unlike the grizzly, the polar bear's neck is elongated, the head is flat, its front part is elongated, the ears are small, rounded.

These animals are skilled swimmers, which is achieved due to the presence of webs between their toes and is determined by where the polar bear lives most of the year. At the time of the swim, no matter how much the polar bear weighs, thanks to the membranes, it can easily overtake even the fastest prey.

The legs of the predator are columnar, ending in powerful paws. The soles of the feet are covered with wool, which serves as an ideal protection against freezing and slipping. The front parts of the paws are covered with stiff bristles, under which sharp claws are hidden, allowing them to hold prey for a long time. Having captured the prey with its claws, the predator then uses its teeth. His jaws are powerful, incisors and fangs are well developed. A healthy animal has up to 42 teeth; there are no facial vibrissae.

All representatives of this species have a tail, the polar bear is no exception in this regard. His tail is small, from 7 to 13 centimeters long, lost against the background of elongated hair on the back of the back.

Endurance

The polar bear is an extremely hardy animal, despite its apparent clumsiness, it is able to overcome up to 5.6 kilometers per hour on land and up to 7 kilometers per hour on water. The average speed of a predator is 40 kilometers per hour.

Polar bears hear and see well, and an excellent sense of smell allows you to smell prey located at a distance of 1 kilometer from it. The animal is able to detect a seal hiding under several meters of snow, or hiding at the bottom of a polynya, even if it is at a depth of more than 1 meter.

How long does a polar bear live?

Oddly enough, polar bears live longer in captivity than in natural environment a habitat. The average life expectancy in this case does not exceed 20-30 years, while the zoo inhabitant is quite capable of living over 45-50 years. This is due to the declining food supply, the annual melting of glaciers and the ongoing extermination of predators by humans.

In Russia, hunting for a polar bear is prohibited, but in other countries there are only some restrictions on this subject, allowing to exterminate no more than a few hundred predators per year. In most cases, such hunting is in no way connected with the real needs for meat and skins, therefore it is a real barbarism in relation to this beautiful and powerful beast.

Features of character and lifestyle

The polar bear is considered a cruel predator, attacking even people. The animal prefers a solitary lifestyle, males and females gather together only during the rut. The rest of the time, bears move exclusively on their own territory, conquered from their other brethren, and this applies not only to males, but also to females with newborn offspring.

Hibernation

Unlike their brown counterparts, the polar bear may not hibernate for the winter. Most often, only pregnant females sleep on the eve of childbirth. Adult males do not sleep every season, the duration of hibernation is no more than 80 days ( Brown bear sleeps 75 to 195 days a year).

Reproduction of polar bears, care for offspring

In relation to each other, polar bears behave quite peacefully, most fights take place between males during the rut. At this time, not only adult animals can suffer, but also cubs, which prevent the female from re-participating in mating games.

Animals become sexually mature when they reach 4 or 8 years, while females are ready to bear offspring 1-2 years earlier than males.

The mating season lasts from late March to early June. One female can be chased by up to 7 males. Bearing offspring takes at least 250 days, which corresponds to 8 months. Pregnancy begins with a latent stage, which is characterized by a delay in embryo implantation. This feature is associated not only with the physiology of the animal, but also with the conditions of its habitat. The female must prepare for the development of the fetus and for a long hibernation. Around the end of October, she begins to equip her own lair, and for this purpose she sometimes travels hundreds of kilometers. Many females dig dens near existing buildings. So, on the skeletons of Wrangel and Franz Josef, there are at least 150 closely spaced lairs.

The development of the embryo begins in mid-November, when the female is already asleep. Her hibernation ends in April and at about the same time 1-3 bear cubs appear in the den, weighing from 450 to 700 grams each. An exception is the birth of 4 cubs. The babies are covered with thin fur, which practically does not protect them from the cold, therefore, in the first weeks of their life, the female does not leave the den, supporting her existence due to accumulated fat.

Newborn cubs feed exclusively on mother's milk. They do not open their eyes immediately, but a month after birth. Two-month-old babies begin to crawl out of the den, in order to leave it completely when they reach 3 months. At the same time, they continue to feed on milk and stay close to the female until they reach 1.5 years of age. Little cubs are practically helpless, therefore they often become prey for larger predators. Mortality among polar bears under the age of 1 year is at least 10-30%.

A new pregnancy in a female occurs only after the death of the offspring, or its introduction into adulthood, that is, no more than 1 time in 2-3 years. On average, no more than 15 cubs are born from one female in her entire life, half of which die.

What does a polar bear eat

The polar bear feeds exclusively on meat and fish food. Seals, ringed seals, bearded seals, walruses, white whales and narwhals become its victims. Having caught and killed the prey, the predator proceeds to eat its skin and fat. It is this part of the carcass that polar bears eat in most cases. They prefer not to eat fresh meat, making an exception only during periods of long hunger strikes. Such a nutritious diet is necessary for the accumulation of vitamin A in the liver, which helps to survive a long winter without consequences. What the polar bear does not eat is picked up by scavengers following it - arctic foxes and wolves.

To saturate the predator needs at least 7 kilograms of food. A hungry bear can eat 19 or more kilograms. If the prey is gone, and there is no strength left to pursue it, then the beast feeds on fish, carrion, bird eggs and chicks. At such a time, the bear becomes dangerous to humans. He wanders to the outskirts of the villages, eating garbage and tracking down lonely travelers. In famine years, bears also do not disdain algae and grass. Periods of a long hunger strike mainly fall in the summer, when the ice melts and recedes from the shore. At this time, the bears are forced to use their own fat reserves, sometimes starving for more than 4 months in a row. The question of what the polar bear eats becomes irrelevant during such periods, since the animal is ready to eat literally everything that moves.

Hunting

The bear tracks down its prey for a long time, sometimes it stays for hours near the polynya, waiting for a seal to come up to breathe air. As soon as the head of the prey is above the water, the predator delivers a powerful blow to it with its paw. A stunned carcass, he clings with his claws and pulls out to land. To increase its chances of being caught, the bear expands the boundaries of the opening and practically plunges its head into the water in order to have time to notice the appearance of prey.

Seals cannot spend all their time in the water, they need to rest sometimes, which is what polar bears use. Noticing a suitable seal, the bear imperceptibly swims up and overturns the ice floe on which it is resting. The fate of the seal is sealed. If the walrus became the bear's prey, then everything is not so simple. Walruses have a powerful defense in the form of front fangs, with which they can easily pierce an unlucky attacker. An adult walrus can be much stronger than a bear, especially if he is young and does not yet have sufficient experience in such battles.

Bearing this in mind, bears attack only weak or young walruses, doing this exclusively on land. The prey is tracked down for a long time, the bear sneaks up to the closest possible distance, after which it makes a jump and leans on the victim with all its weight.

In its natural habitat, the bear has a minimum number of enemies. If the animal is injured or sick, then walruses, killer whales, wolves, arctic foxes and even dogs can attack it. A healthy bear is larger than any of the named predators and can easily cope even with several opponents who attacked in a common mass. A sick animal takes a significant risk and often prefers to avoid battle by lying down in a lair.

Sometimes the prey of wolves and dogs are small bear cubs, whose mother went hunting, or is watching them inattentively. The life of the bear is also threatened by poachers who are interested in killing the animal in order to obtain its luxurious skin and a large amount of meat.

Family ties

First appeared on the planet about 5 million years ago. The polar bear separated itself from its brown ancestors no more than 600 thousand years ago, and yet its closest relative continues to be an ordinary brown bear.

Both the polar bear and the brown bear are genetically similar, therefore, as a result of crossing, quite viable offspring are obtained, which can also later be used to produce young animals. Black and white bears will not naturally be born, but the young will inherit all the best qualities of both individuals.

At the same time, the white and brown bears live in different ecological systems, which affected the formation of a number of phenotypic traits in them, as well as differences in nutrition, behavior and lifestyle. The presence of a significant difference in all of the above made it possible to classify the brown bear, or grizzly, as a separate species.

Polar bear and brown bear: comparative characteristics

Both white and brown bears have a number distinctive features, the essence of which is as follows:

Both white and brown bears are dangerous predators, which leads to legitimate questions about who is stronger in a fight, a polar bear or a grizzly? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question posed about who is stronger, or who will win the polar bear or the brown one. These animals almost never intersect. In the conditions of the zoo, they behave quite peacefully.

Interesting facts about the polar bear

There are many legends and myths about the polar bear. At the same time, some features of his behavior are so interesting that they deserve the attention of not only lovers of legends, but young admirers. wildlife. To date, the following is known about the polar bear:

• The largest predators are found in the Barents Sea, smaller animals prefer the island of Svalbard and the area near it.
• In photographs taken under ultraviolet light, the polar bear's fur appears black.
• Starving bears can travel great distances, moving not only by land, but also by swimming. In this, both white and brown bears are similar. The fact of a bear swim was recorded, lasting over 9 days. During this time, the female covered over 660 kilometers along the Beaufort Sea, lost 22% of her mass and a one-year-old bear cub, but survived and was able to get ashore.
• The polar bear is not afraid of man, a hungry predator is able to make him his prey, chasing him tirelessly for many days. In the city of Churchill, which belongs to the Canadian province of Manitoba, there is a special place where bears wandering into the territory of the settlement are temporarily confined. The existence of a temporary zoo is a necessary measure. A hungry predator not afraid of the human presence can enter the house and attack a person. After overexposure and a hearty meal, the bear leaves the city already less aggressive, which allows us to hope for its not soon return.
• According to the Eskimos, the polar bear embodies the forces of nature. A man cannot call himself such until he enters into an equal confrontation with him.
• The giant polar bear is the ancestor of the modern bear.
• In 1962, a bear was shot dead in Alaska, weighing 1002 kilograms.
• The bear is a warm-blooded animal. Its body temperature reaches 31 degrees Celsius, which makes it quite difficult for a predator to move quickly. Long running can lead to overheating of the body.
• Children are introduced to the image of a polar bear through such cartoons as "Umka", "Elka" and "Bernard".
• Everyone's favorite sweets "Bear in the North" also have an image of a polar bear.
• The official polar bear day is February 27th.
• The polar bear is one of the symbols of the state of Alaska.

Polar bears are considered to be under-prolific, so their population is recovering extremely slowly. According to an audit conducted in 2013, the number of bears in Russia did not exceed 7 thousand individuals (20-25 thousand individuals worldwide).

For the first time, a ban on the extraction of meat and skins of these animals was introduced in 1957, due to their almost complete extermination. local residents and poachers. Polar bears, whose habitat has been disturbed, invade human possessions.