Near the edge of the Arctic region of Canada, the short summer is rapidly disappearing. The sun is pale, and the brief days of fall are being chased away by a constant cold wind from the north. It’s an icy cold region in which few animals or plants can survive.
One animal, though, actually grows strong in these freezing, lonely surroundings: the polar bear. Winter has the perfect weather for the huge white bear. According to Cam Elliot of the governmental group called Manitoba Conservation, polar bears are built for winter. These warm-blooded mammals spend most of their life on frozen seas, so they have adjusted to be able to handle the cold weather. Their thick fur protects them from the freezing winds. They have short tails and tiny ears, both of which help reduce heat loss. The heavy layer of fat helps to protect the animals from the cold and allows them to live for long periods of time without eating.
What is especially attractive in polar bears in terms of conservation (保护)is that it is an umbrella species. No other animal hunts the polar bear. Because of their status as “top killers”, scientists feel that the health of polar bears parallel (平行的) directly with the health of the environment. Global warming may be affecting the ice patterns, which are critical for the survival of the polar bear.
Anything in the global climate that would affect the stability or the length of the time that the ice is on Hudson Bay or the Arctic waters, is going to have immediate impact on them.
When the ice melts early, the bears may lose one month of hunting opportunities, which can have major effects on their ability to find enough food. Another issue with the situation is that when we develop any consideration for measures for polar bears, we are also protecting the entire ecosystem. That is to say, by making the changes needed to keep this umbrella species alive, the world will save any number of animals that have the same environmental requirements.
【小题1】What makes the polar bear particularly suited to the extreme weather there?| A．Determination. | B．Short tails and large ears. |
| C．The ability of adaptation. | D．The thin layer of fat. |
| A．The Arctic has a relatively long autumn. |
| B．The ice pattern plays a key role in the survival of the polar bear. |
| C．Polar bears are hurting more and more other small animals. |
| D．The earlier melting of the ice may do good to small animals. |
| A．Because they can provide shelter for other species. | B．Because they are very strong. |
| C．Because they are large killers. | D．Because they are at the top of the food chain. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Uncaring. | C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
