The Sleeping Habits of the Polar Bear

May 22
07:12

2015

Lisa Jeeves

Lisa Jeeves

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Heading to the Arctic to see the Polar Bear? Tours to the region with a specialised company for the best chance of a sighting.

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One of the most amazing animals to see in the wild would have to be the Polar Bear. Tours specifically designed for bear watching are the best opportunity for a sighting of the Polar Bears in their natural habitat. Before you go on one of the Polar Bear tours however,The Sleeping Habits of the Polar Bear Articles you should take the time to learn more about the way these magnificent creatures live, the best places to see them, and the best times for visiting. A good company will, of course, have all that information to hand, but it's a good idea to do your own research as well.

Below is some interesting information with regards to the sleeping habits of Polar Bears that may be of interest.

Sleeping Habits

Most bears, like humans, prefer to sleep up to eight hours in one go, but they will often nap as well, depending on their activity levels. During spring and summer they tend to sleep more during the daytime; this is more than likely because the seals, which constitute the majority of the Polar Bears’ diet, are more active at night, so that's when they hunt. In fact, day and night in the Arctic is almost irrelevant, as during the summer months there are often 24 hours of sunlight and likewise 24 hours of darkness during winter.

Napping

Napping is par for the course for these animals, and they really don’t seem to have a preference when or where they do it. A post-meal nap is very common and the practice is very much a part of energy conservation. Conserving energy and feeding are the two main elements in a Polar Bear’s existence, and sleeping plays a big part in helping to preserve precious energy.

Seasonal Sleeping

During winter, the bears sleep in shallow pits that they dig into the snow. They aim to sleep with their backs to the wind in an attempt to stay warm, and they can actually sleep undisturbed through blizzards, even when snow piles on top of them. This, in effect, provides extra insulation for them and they sometimes stay snuggled up under the snow for a few days until the storm has waned.

Summer time sees the bears relaxing on the tundra, often using an outstretched paw or a block of ice to rest their head on; for those that are landlocked, sleeping pits are dug into the sand along the shoreline.

During Pregnancy

Another interesting point worthy of note is that a pregnant female will dig a maternity den in the snow banks that are formed in autumn. She will then remain there through the birth of her cubs in early winter. They won't emerge until spring, when the cubs are more robust and the mother has replenished her energy stores.

For those embarking on one of the specialised Polar Bear tours, it's an experience that will be both rewarding and exciting. These incredible creatures are simply wonderful to see in the wild and bear tours will afford you the very best opportunities to experience that.