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
CLOSE-UP Eyes A nictitating NIK-tih-tay-ting membrane protects polar bear eyes from snow blindness This see through eyelid closes to shield the eyes from water and blowing snow
01 CHAPTER ONE life begins The polar bear is one of eight bear species and the only one suited to life in harsh Arctic regions All bears are mammals meaning they are warm-blooded typically give birth to live young and produce milk to feed their offspring As marine mammals polar bears depend on the ocean to survive Their main food sources beluga whales seals narwhals narwhals and walruses live in the sea Polar bears walk over the frozen ocean or sea ice and swim from place to place sometimes traveling for days without stopping Of the world’s roughly 25,000 polar bears at least 15,000 inhabit inhabit the Canadian Arctic The rest are found in Alaska Greenland russia russia and Svalbard Most polar bears remain active year round unlike DEVON ISLAND POLAR BEAR MILESTONES DAY 1 Born Ears and eyes closed Sparse fur none on ears Weight 1 pound 454 kg Length 12 inches 30 5 cm 7
