Polar regions are often dark, blasted by
freezing winds, and they receive little
rain. Only the toughest can survive.
Polar regions
Let’s stay warm
Penguins huddle together
to stay warm. The adults
and chicks on the outside
of the huddle aren’t so well
protected from the
cold, so they take
turns standing in
the middle.
Polar bear
Although their fur is
white, polar bears have
black skin.
What is the world’s largest bear?
158
Ecosystems and habitats
Polar bears have
thick blubber
under their skin
to help keep
the cold out.
Polar giants
Large animals lose heat more slowly than
small ones, so many Arctic animals are big.
A male polar bear can be 2.5 m (8 ft) long
and weigh 800 kg (0.8 ton).
Musk oxen may look
like cattle, but they are
actually goats!
A walking coat
The musk ox looks like a small, shaggy-haired buffalo.
Its coat, said to be eight times warmer than sheep’s
wool, is made of coarse hairs as long as your arm.
To survive blizzards, musk oxen
simply sit down and wait, using
as little energy as possible.
