contents MEET THE FAMILY Polar Bears of Devon Island LIFE BEGINS Featured Family Welcome to the World First Meal EARLY ADVENTURES Featured Family Look Who’s Learning Give It a Try 4 7 8 10 13 14 16 LIFE LESSONS Featured Family This Is How It’s Done Practice Makes Perfect POLAR BEAR SPOTTING Family Album Snapshots Words to Know Learn More Index 19 20 22 25 28 30 31 32
MEET THE FAMILY POLAR BEARS of Devon Island In far northern Canada lies the territory of Nunavut In addition to a large portion of the Canadian mainland Nunavut includes about 37,000 islands in the Arctic One of these Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on Earth More than 60 kinds of birds from eider ducks to northern fulmars as well as Peary caribou and muskoxen share this island with polar bears It is mid-morning in late November and the air is a biting 20 F 28 9 C This time of year the sun shines for only about five hours a day A female polar bear has dug a snow cave into the side of a drift She climbs inside Fresh snow will soon close the entrance and nighttime nighttime temperatures will fall to 40 F 40 C In about a month she will give birth The bear and her baby will stay warm inside this den through the winter
