Question 1: Polar bears call the sea ice home. Where is this frozen expanse at the edge of Hudson Bay?
The given options are:
- Manitoba
- Alaska
- Greenland
Correct Answer: Manitoba
Fact: This bear is roaming near the delta of the northernmost river in Manitoba, Canada, the Seal River, which flows into the giant Hudson Bay. Each winter, Hudson Bay is covered in sea ice and becomes a prime hunting ground for polar bears. As summer ends, hungry polar bears who have been living off fat reserves gather on the shores of the bay, waiting for the ice to form so they can return to the hunt.
Question 2: What is the polar bear’s primary prey?
The given options are:
- Walruses
- Fish
- Seals
Correct Answer: Seals
Fact: Polar bears eat mostly ringed seals and bearded seals, hunting them most often at openings in the ice where seals come to breathe or rest. Bears rarely catch seals on land or in open water: Although bears are good swimmers, seals are better. Polar bears can fast for several months during the summer and fall—so they're hungry come winter. As the ice-free season grows longer and the seal pickings get slimmer, polar bears have started to scavenge human refuse. This has led to more human-bear encounters, which are a hazard for both bears and people
Question 3: Polar bears are sometimes called ‘Nanook,’ a word in what language?
The given options are:
- Inuit
- Russian
- Norwegian
Correct Answer: Inuit
Fact: The Inuit are an Indigenous people of Arctic North America. Archaeological evidence suggests they have hunted polar bears for thousands of years and have long incorporated them into their folklore and culture. In Inuit lore, Nanook is the 'master of bears.'