5th March, 2024
CHIRANJIT MITRA
● Master of Insulation: Thick fur and a dense layer of fat provide incredible insulation, keeping polar bears warm in the harshest conditions. ● Snowshoe Paws: Large paws with rough pads help distribute weight and improve traction on ice and snow. ● Powerful Hunters: Primarily hunting seals, polar bears have a keen sense of smell and powerful hunting skills.
● Furry and Compact: Dense, multi-layered fur traps warmth, while a small, rounded body minimizes heat loss. ● Color-Changing Coat: White in winter for camouflage, brown or grey in summer to blend with the landscape. ● Opportunistic Diet: Arctic foxes eat anything they can find, including small mammals, birds, eggs, and even carrion.
● Blubber Blanket: An incredibly thick layer of fat insulates against the cold of the Arctic Ocean. ● Whisker Power: Sensitive whiskers help locate shellfish, their main food source, on the murky seafloor. ● Social Creatures: Walruses congregate in large herds for warmth and protection.
● Silent Hunter: Feathers designed for silent flight allow snowy owls to ambush prey undetected. ● Heat Savers: Dense feathers cover their legs and feet for extra warmth. ● Keen Vision and Hearing: Exceptional eyesight and hearing are vital for hunting in low-light conditions.
● Speedy and Well-Insulated: Fast runners with thick, white winter fur for warmth and camouflage. ● Seasonal Shifts: Their summer fur turns brown or grey to blend with the changing environment. ● Herbivorous Survivors: Feeding on tough tundra vegetation like willows and mosses.
● Shaggy and Tough: Long, shaggy fur provides incredible warmth, almost reaching the ground. ● Herd Mentality: Muskoxen huddle in groups when threatened, creating a wall of horns and fur for protection. ● Arctic Grazers: Digging through snow with powerful hooves, they survive on lichens and mosses.
● Cold-weather Champions: Huddling together in large groups traps body heat and reduces exposure to the elements. ● Incredibly Dense Feathers: Waterproof and windproof feathers provide a warm outer layer. ● Dedicated Parents: Male penguins endure harsh winter conditions to incubate a single egg.
● The Frozen Frog: Wood frogs can survive, with up to 65% of their body water turning to solid ice! ● Natural Antifreeze: They produce high glucose levels in their organs, protecting cells from damage. ● Incredible Revival: Wood frogs thaw once temperatures rise and resume life as usual.
● Hollow Hair Insulation: Specialized fur with hollow hairs traps air for maximum insulation. ● Specialized Nasals: Complex nasal passages warm frigid air before it enters their lungs. ● Hardy Hooves: Split hooves spread for balance on ice and snow and can dig for food.
● Toothy Giants: The iconic "tusk" is an elongated tooth that can detect changes in water pressure. ● Thick Blubber: An insulating blubber layer keeps narwhals warm in the icy Arctic waters. ● Deep Divers: They can dive to incredible depths for fish and squid to eat.