Polar bears have several adaptations to maintain homeostasis in freezing cold weather:
1. Thick fur: Polar bears have a thick layer of insulating fur that helps them retain heat and protect them from the cold temperatures.
2. Layer of fat: Polar bears have a thick layer of blubber underneath their fur, which serves as insulation and helps them stay warm in cold weather.
3. Low surface area to volume ratio: Polar bears have a compact body shape with relatively small extremities, which helps reduce heat loss to the environment.
4. Counter-current heat exchange: Polar bears have specialized blood vessels in their extremities that help retain heat by transferring warmth from the warm blood leaving the body to the cold blood returning from the extremities.
5. Adaptations in metabolism: Polar bears have a slower metabolism than other bears, which helps them conserve energy and maintain body temperature in cold conditions.
Overall, these adaptations help polar bears regulate their body temperature and stay warm in freezing cold weather.
How do polar bears maintain homeostasis in freezing cold westher
1 answer