Oh, to be like a polar bear

At the moment we are all enjoying some of the warmest weather we have seen in a few years. Many of us have fired up the barbecues and the fire pits in the evenings and enjoyed the sunshine into the night. But before we know it we will be entering into the Autumn and Winter months and preparing ourselves for the colder weather. The best way to prepare for the chilly temperatures is to make sure that you contact a Gloucester boiler servicing firm like http://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-servicing-gloucester/ to get your system checked.

We are incredibly lucky to have had the technological advances to be able to heat our homes so that we are not subject to the elements in the same way that early man was or how some animals are. Polar bears for instances live in some of the harshest regions on the planet. As inhabitants of the Arctic (North Pole) region they have adapted to the freezing conditions and live happily amongst the ice and snow.

Although they look cute and cuddly, polar bears are in fact one of the only animals who actively hunt humans. This may be due to the fact that humans are not a regular sighting in the Arctic region and food can be scarce for the bears and so they can not afford to be overly choosy in what they eat.

Here are some facts about polar bears:

• They are the largest of all the land-basedcarnivores

• Male polar bears can weigh up to 650kgs and are usually two to three times the size of a female.

• The colour of their coat can be pure white to a yellowy brown. This often depends on the time of year and the way the light is shining on their coat.

• Polar bears have five toes on each paw. Their paws can reach 30 cms across and are large in comparison to the rest of their body. This is because their paws effectively act as a type of snowshoe and help to spread the bear’s weight across the snow and ice. Each of the toes has a thick claw that is non-retractable. The claws are used to help steady them when running of climbing across icy areas. They are also used to holding their prey. Their feet also have black pads on the bottom of them similar to those found on the bottom of dogs and cats feet. These pads act as a friction barrier between the feet and the ice helping to prevent the polar bears from slipping.

Polar bears despite their size really are beautiful creatures.