(C) Gary Coulbourne [ Taken Near: 11-15-1997 ]

A polar bear who has been around for awhile, this animal has bite marks on his head. This injury probably came from ritualized fighting for a mate with another male. Also of note is the black skin, visible both on the nose and where the skin shows through the fur at the site of the bite marks. The black skin helps them absorb more of the sun's warmth. The hairs of the fur itself helps to conduct the sun's energy down to the skin as a way of aiding in staying warm. Many people believe that the animals must be cold because of the climate, however, these animals are very well adapted to living in their niche and are more likely to overheat than anything. When this happens, they lay on their bellies with their legs outstretched in an effort to use the chill of the ice below them to cool down.