Arctic Brown Bear

Introduction

The Arctic Brown Bear (Novissima brunneis ursus, or previously known and the polar bear) is a large predator native to Canada. Primarily located in the northern regions of Canada, and usually found in forests, and around rivers, so they have access to fish. The Arctic Brown Bear can be recognized by its smaller appearance to the American Brown Bear, and its speckled brown and white fur.

The Arctic Brown Bear is not very unique when it comes to appearance, mostly because it has many of the same traits and looks as the American Brown Bear, despite it being smaller. This animal is mainly only focused on in research, because of its historical background, scientists are using its miraculous adaptation to survive as an example to other species. In the early 20th century ( over 100 years ago ) this animal was facing many issues due to environmental changes caused by climate change, and minor poaching. But over the course of around 50-60 years, this animal has rapidly adapted to better fit its environment and survive.

Etymology

The word Arctic Brown Bear translates directly to Novissima brunneis ursus. The name has been changed though, from polar bear, or ursus maritimus, the Latin word maritime meaning “sea” or “ocean”. But since they evolved and migrated from the arctic circle into wooded areas, they are no longer considered “marine mammals”. Thus, the name was changed.

Habitat and Population

The Arctic Brown Bear is primarily located in Canada, in wooded areas. They are found close to rivers, where they have access to hunting fish. When the bear lived in the Arctic, it was the highest on the Arctic food chain. Ever since the bear migrated south, it has been met with many obstacles, such as having to evolve its fur color to blend it with the woods, and changing its diet to needing less fat. The evolution of the bear was hard on its population. Five thousand bears died off when they moved because of lack of fatty animals and change in climate. But as the bears that were left reproduced, they slowly have started to adapt to have light brown fur, with just a few spots of white left.

When their ancestors lived in the Arctic, they were very solitary creatures, sometimes only meeting to mate. But when they began to slowly migrate down into Canada, the bears were forced to adapt to being closer to each other.

The Arctic Brown Bear has gained a few threats over the years. Lack of fat and territory forced the bear to give up its size, but not its ferocity. These mammals mainly faced threats towards cubs. Cubs are usually preyed on by large birds, wolves, sometimes wild cats, and other bears, which caused fewer cubs to survive into adulthood. Until, around 2089 when a young female that was being researched in the wild gave birth to her two cubs two months earlier than any bear recorded from the last 60 years, changing the gestational period from usually about 8 months to 6. The young female miraculously passed this gene down to her daughters. This increased the amount of cubs born, which gave greater chances to survival.

History

The Arctic Brown Bear descended from the polar bear which lived up in the arctic, in the snow. When they faced loss of habitat, they were slowly forced south, eventually into Canada, and the wooded areas. As we all know, most of the islands above Canada are underwater now, due to sea level rising, so the bears had nowhere to go. A white bear in a green and brown forest stands out, so over 55 years they rapidly evolved to changing their fur to a light brown. Rolling in mud was the immediate solution for many years, and mother bears soon made their dens under bracken and mud, so as to be completely covered, and made their cubs roll in the mud so as not to get preyed on.

These bears have been greatly affected by environmental changes and how humans have treated them for the last hundred or so years. The human civilization has since come together to solve the dire threat of climate change, but before that these bears were one of the most threatened animals by global warming, since their environment was mostly snow and ice. The ice melting, caused them to no longer be able to wait and hunt seals from the surface of the water, causing many bears to die of starvation. The sea levels rose and caused the snow to erode into the sea. The majority or their environment now melted in water, the bears had no choice but to slowly find a way to retreat, leading them down into Canada.

Evolution

When the bears migrated down into canada, they were bright white bears in a wood. Walking around in the woods, they became dirty with mud and leaves from the forest, and soon began to regularly roll in mud and leaves to blend themselves in. Over 55 years, the bears slowly adapted to have light brown fur with small spots of white left, but scientists believe now that they will continue adapting to better fit their environment, sometimes eventually looking like the American brown bear.

The Arctic Brown Bear has dropped in size, considering the lack of fatty animals available, and a smaller territory meaning that they must adjust to being around other bears. The Arctic Brown Bear, as stated previously, is a light brown mixed with some white spots. These two colors help the bear blend in with the summer brown bracken and the winter white snow.

The Arctic Brown Bears’ s ancestor, the Polar Bear, needed 4.4lb of fat per day to survive. Their common food, the ringed seal could give them 121lb of fat in one sitting, which could sustain the polar bear for up to eight days. But there are no seals in the woods of Canada, so the Arctic Brown Bear have adopted the meal of the AmericanBrown Bear, which is basically anything nutritious they can find. This includes, nuts, fruits, fungi, roots, leaves, insects,lots of salmon, rodents and elk.

Summary

The Arctic Brown Bear (Novissima brunneis ursus, or previously known in the early 20th century as the polar bear, was facing many issues due to environmental changes caused by climate change, and minor poaching. The Arctic Brown Bear is a beautiful example of how animals can adapt over time to fit their new environment. Native to Canada, this bear continues to thrive and adapt to better fitting its habitat.

Works Cited

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