Polar

Polar

Throughout all of the polar regions of the entire northern hemisphere roams the largest carnivorous quadruped alive in the world today, Ursus maritimus.   More commonly known as the polar, this huge mammal is ruler of its domain by being well adapted to its environment.
The physical characteristics of polar bears make them a perfect fit in the arctic.   They have a heavy stout body with strong muscular legs and well-adapted neck muscles.   Their eyes are small and deep set to protect them against driving snow and cold wind.   The bottoms of their feet are covered with fur for better traction on ice and they walk in a heel-toe manner.   On land they can travel twenty-five miles per hour for short distances.   They may not be as fast as their closest relatives, the brown bear, but this is the trade off for massive forelegs used to break through seal's dens or to flip them out of the water.
Also in keeping with their carnivorous nature, polar bears have developed large stomachs with the capacity to hold 150 pounds of food.   Their teeth are designed perfectly for eating meat.   The canines are large and well developed which are used for catching and holding prey while the premolars are strong and sharp-edged for cutting and shearing the fat and blubber of seals.   Of course these traits would be useless without the means to use them, and like most successful predators the polar bears has developed a good eyesight, excellent hearing, and a phenomenal sense of smell.   Polar bears are capable of tracking seals form miles away if scents are carried to them by wind.
Although polar bears are really land animals, they are powerful swimmers.   Ursus maritimus means "sea bear".   They can spend many hours in the sea and are capable of swimming great distances.   They use a strong doggy-paddle stroke with their front feet, while the hind legs trail and act as rudders.   By using this seemingly inefficient stroke, polar bears can attain speeds of six miles per hour, which can be...