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Of the eight species of bears inhabiting our planet, the polar bear is the youngest and the largest. It occupies an extreme ecological niche, in fact no other mammal, except for the Arctic fox, can penetrate as far into the Arctic Ocean. The size and weight of the polar bear is impressive. Adult males can measure up to 10 feet, excluding the tail, and can weigh up to 2200 pounds. Equally inpressive is its strength which ranks among the stongest terrestrial predators.
Perfectly adapted to its harsh environment, the polar bear remained unthreatened in its Arctic stronghold until the ambitions and greed of the civilized world shattered the equilibrium of the North. Exterminated almost to extinction in the course of Arctic conquest by humans, then partly recovered during many years of strict protection, the polar bear remains a fragile species in our modern world. Its future is in our hands.
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