This is how Polar Bears may evolve in the next 200,000 years.
The polar bear today is a mammal living in the Artic. Have you ever thought about how it might change in the future? We certainly have. Read further on and you will learn the ways polar bears could evolve based on what information we have right now.
General Information
Habitat
The polar species lives in the Artic. The Artic is a massive frozen sea in the north pole. This habitat is home to artic fish, white foxes, snow owls, wolves, and a variety of seals. Most of the animals that live here can change their coats to adapt to their surrounding. However, the seal stays a darker color which does not help against the white snow.
Diet
The polar bear's diet includes almost everything that its habitat can provide, but the polar bear has preferences. It mainly prefers seals because of their energy rich meat. They are also the most easiest to catch being the darkest animal in the Artic. The polar bear hunts using a method called Still Hunting. Still hunting is when they wait by a hole in the ice until a seal comes close enough to grab.
Reproduction
In mating season, the male seeks out the female by following its scent. Female polar bears usually mate around 4 or 5 times. While the male 5 or 6 times, but they're in their prime at the age of 10. Polar bear couples are only together for a week, after this time period the male looks for another mate. The pregnant polar bear digs a den to give birth in and is left to raise the cubs alone.
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Evolution
The Aquatic Polarallisuchus
Polarallisuchus is our scientific name for our adapted polar bear. This is what we predict will happen to the Artic polar bear. The current species has a simple bone structure and a large head. All of our predictions are made off of the three steps of speciation; separation, adaptation, and division. The first step, separation, will happen because of the greenhouse effect. The Artic will melt creating two land masses separating the species. Once the species is separated the ice will melt even more going into adaptation.
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Fact: The name Polarallisuchus is based off an ancient amphibian that looked similar to what we have predicted.
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Adaptation
2016- The current polar bear features.
7016- Polar bear now has shorter legs to decrease the amount of body weight to cool down.
9016- Its environment started becoming predominantly water, polar bear started getting darker
9095- The species turns the slightest bit darker and has changed it's leg structure to help it swim faster. It has also grown a much longer tail to help it swim smoother.
9950- It has produced a fin and has changed the shape of it's head to be more streamlined. It has gotten darker and the ear has gone against it's head to be water resistant.
10049- The new species has webbed feet, streamline body, a much longer tail, and a fin. This is our prediction of an evolved polar bear.
7016- Polar bear now has shorter legs to decrease the amount of body weight to cool down.
9016- Its environment started becoming predominantly water, polar bear started getting darker
9095- The species turns the slightest bit darker and has changed it's leg structure to help it swim faster. It has also grown a much longer tail to help it swim smoother.
9950- It has produced a fin and has changed the shape of it's head to be more streamlined. It has gotten darker and the ear has gone against it's head to be water resistant.
10049- The new species has webbed feet, streamline body, a much longer tail, and a fin. This is our prediction of an evolved polar bear.
The final step is division. If the species ever do meet they will not be able to interbreed, they are now a completely different species. Through the steps of speciation we have gotten a polarallisuchus from a polar bear. The animal will stay a mammal and it will have enlarged lungs so it can stay under water for long periods of time. It will come above sea level to reproduce and use a polar bear's method but it is now a new species. This is our prediction of what a polar bear may be in 200,000 years.
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