What role does the polar bear play in its ecosystem?
Foxes and gulls rely on large, healthy populations of polar bears for their own survival. These animals routinely feed on the leftovers a polar bear leaves behind from his or her hunt. Mating happens in the same locations, on the edge of the sea ice near the best hunting areas. Males track the females down and mate numerous times over the course of a week – in the subsequent months, a pregnant female will eat large amounts of food, sometimes adding as much as 200 kg to her usual body weigh to support her cubs. Mating begins in the spring. By the fall, when a pregnant female is fatter, she will dig a den and will settle down until the birth of her pups – usually two to a litter. Drawing on her recently acquired weight, the mother will nurse the cubs until they are as much as two and a half years old. Approximately 45% of the cubs will survive this during this period – a statistic that has declined steadily over the last two decades. For those who reach this age, they are ready to be sen
