How is the evolution of polar bears an example of natural selection?
How is the evolution of polar bears an example of natural selection?
Polar bears are a great example of natural selection and evolution. In a snowy environment, these bears would have had advantages over brown ones. In particular, they’d have better odds of sneaking up unnoticed on their prey. The white bears would get more food, live longer and have a better chance of raising young.
Are polar bears an example of evolution?
“It’s a schoolbook example of evolution,” says Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Copenhagen who helped the lead the research. Drawing on that data, Willerslev and his colleagues conclude that polar bears split off from brown bears between 343,000 and 479,000 years ago.
What is the origin of polar bears?
It’s a long way from the Arctic to Tipperary, but scientists have discovered polar bears can trace their family tree to Ireland. Genetic evidence shows they are descended from Irish brown bears that lived during the last ice age.
Why are polar bears white evolution?
1. Why do polar bears have white fur? Polar bears have white fur so that they can camouflage into their environment. Their coat is so well camouflaged in Arctic environments that it can sometimes pass as a snow drift.
When was the first polar bear discovered?
Constantine John Phipps was the first to describe the polar bear as a distinct species in 1774 in his report about his 1773 expedition towards the North Pole. He chose the scientific name Ursus maritimus, the Latin for ‘maritime bear’, due to the animal’s native habitat.
Why did the brown bear evolved into the polar bear?
The bears were hungry but their paws weren’t good for walking on snow and ice, their fur wasn’t thick enough for the cold conditions and the seals could easily see them coming with their brown fur. These were the bears which flourished. They are now called polar bears.
When did we discover polar bears?
How was polar bears discovered?
It has been known that polar bears evolved from brown bears, but until now, it wasn’t clear when this happened. The discovery was enabled by the rare jawbone find on the Norwegian island of Svalbard in 2004.
What is the scientific name of polar bear?
Ursus maritimus
Polar bear/Scientific names
The polar bear’s Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means “sea bear.” It’s an apt name for this majestic species, which spends much of its life in, around, or on the ocean–predominantly on the sea ice.
How would a biologist explain how the white fur of polar bears evolved from bears with brown fur?
When life in the North demanded teeth better shaped for ripping apart seals than munching berries, the polar bear’s molar teeth changed significantly from those of the brown bear. The bears also grew white fur, which camouflaged them in their snow-covered surroundings and gave them a hunting advantage.
Why did polar bears evolve from brown bears?
The researchers believe that the brown bear migrated to the north during a warmer climate period and when a cold period subsequently set in, a group of brown bears may have become isolated and therefore forced to quickly adapt to the new colder conditions.
How have polar bears evolved?
According to current research, polar bears evolved from brown bears that ventured onto the frozen ocean to stalk marine mammals during the last major period of glaciation. Through natural selection, the palest individuals with the greatest amount of fat would have had the best chance to survive and therefore reproduce.
What is the ancestor of the polar bear?
The Polar Bear is a member of the Ursidae family and shares a common ancestor with the black and brown bear. As a family, bears are thought to have evolved some 4.6 million years ago, with the oldest Polar Bear fossil being between 110 and 130 thousand years old.
Where did bears evolve from?
Country of Origin. Grizzly bears as we know them originated in Asia around 1.3 million years ago, evolved from Etruscan bears that appeared in Europe about 5 million years before.
What is WWF doing for polar bears?
What WWF is doing for polar bears. WWF is working around the Arctic to secure a future for polar bears. Polar bears, the charismatic icon of the Arctic environment, have long been a focus in WWF’s on-the-ground research and conservation projects in the Arctic, going back to 1972 – and climate change is a primary focus of our global conservation efforts.
