6-67. In the Arctic with Polar Bears

IAN SHELBACK: Hello and welcome to the Little Fox Animal Report. I am your host, Ian Shelback. This week, I am in the frozen Arctic. I am interviewing a very handsome polar bear named Chilly. Chilly has kindly agreed not to eat me. Good afternoon, Chilly. You look very handsome today.

CHILLY: Hello, Ian. It’s nice to see you.

IAN: People want to know what life is like for a polar bear, living so far north in this frozen country.

CHILLY: Well, first of all, it is not a life for the weak. Many animals would not like it here. It's very cold. The Arctic is only for those of us who are hardy and strong. I am one of the strongest creatures in the world, and I am not afraid of anything or anyone.

IAN: You do look very strong and large. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh?

CHILLY: Well, I weigh 720 kilograms, which is big even for a polar bear. I am 160 centimeters tall, and I am 250 centimeters from head to tail. I'm not a cub!

IAN: No, that's for sure. You must be one of the biggest and strongest bears around. Tell me, Chilly, don't your feet get cold standing on the snow all day?

CHILLY: No, not at all. My fur covers the bottom of my feet and keeps me very warm. I certainly don't need silly-looking boots like you are wearing.

CHILLY: Look around, Ian. How many polar bears can you see?

IAN: Hmm, I don't see any polar bears, Chilly.

CHILLY: Right now there are ten polar bears watching you. But you cannot see them because they are camouflaged.

IAN: Really? That is very good camouflage.

CHILLY: It sure is. Hey, guys, say hello to Ian.

BEARS: Hello, Ian. How are you today?

IAN: Fine, thank you.

CHILLY: Camouflage is very important for us because it helps us stay undetected when we are hunting.

IAN: And what exactly do you hunt?

CHILLY: Our favorite prey is seal. But seals are not easy to catch, so we have to be very good hunters.

IAN: How do you catch them?

CHILLY: Well, you have to be very patient. First, I look for a hole in the ice where the seals like to come to rest. Then I hide myself beside the hole and wait until a seal appears. When a seal climbs out of the hole, I grab it and eat it.

IAN: What do you do if the seal escapes?

CHILLY: Ha-ha! The seal almost never gets away from me. But if it does, I chase it underwater.

IAN: If you can chase a seal underwater, you must be a pretty good swimmer.

CHILLY: Polar bears are exceptional swimmers. Many people call us the sea bear because we can swim so far and fast. Sometimes I spend almost all day swimming in the freezing waters.

IAN: Many animals hibernate. You know, they go to sleep during the winter. What about polar bears? Do you hibernate?

CHILLY: Are you kidding? No, polar bears do not hibernate. We are too busy to waste time sleeping. We are very hard workers. But we only eat in the spring and fall. During the rest of the year, there is no food for us to eat.

IAN: Really? How do you survive?

CHILLY: In the spring, when the ice breaks up, we can catch plenty of seals because there are many holes in the ice. However, in the summer, when all of the ice is gone, it is too difficult to catch seals. In the fall, we can catch seals when the ice starts to freeze again.

CHILLY: But in the winter, the ice is too thick for us to get the seals. We are able to eat an enormous amount of food at one time while the food is available, and then store our food as fat for many months for when fresh prey is not available.

IAN: That is very interesting. What about sports? What do polar bears like to do for fun?

CHILLY: Our favorite sport is wrestling. I happen to be a champion wrestler.

IAN: I'm sure you are. How do you usually play?

CHILLY: Let's watch!

IAN: How do you choose a winner?

CHILLY: When one bear gets too tired or sore, he lies down on the ground, and the other bear is the winner. I am always the winner.

IAN: I am sure you are, Chilly. What about family? Do you have any children?

CHILLY: I have a lot of children. In fact, my wife will be having three new cubs soon.

IAN: Where is she now?

CHILLY: She is in her den. When a polar bear is going to have cubs, she digs a large hole in the snow. Just before the cubs come, she goes and lives in the den.

IAN: Do you live in the den with her?

CHILLY: No way! I stay out in the cold all the time. Remember, polar bears are very tough animals. By the way, Ian, there is a polar bear over there that seems very hungry, and he is eyeing you hungrily. Maybe you should be going now.

IAN: That's a good idea. Thank you very much for the interview, Chilly. It was a real pleasure to meet you.

CHILLY: I'm sure it was an honor for you to meet a great polar bear like me. Good-bye, Ian.

IAN: Let's get out of here!