“Bear” Essentials Female polar bears typically give birth during winter − usually delivering twin cubs. Read on for more about ursus maritimus, our Canadian Arctic marine mammal living and surviving in one of the planet’s coldest environments. ▶▶A polar bear’s skin is black. ▶▶Light from the sun and its deflection off of the snow make the fur appear luminescent white. ▶▶They are the largest land carnivore. ▶▶Sixty per cent of the global population are found in Canada’s Arctic. ▶▶They can fast for up to eight months. ▶▶They can sniff prey well beyond a kilometre away. ▶▶Seals are their favourite prey. ▶▶Cubs stay with their mother for about two years. ▶▶Males can weigh up to 680 kg. ▶▶The bears have 42 razor-sharp teeth. ▶▶Their paws are the size of dinner plates. ▶▶They spend 50% of their time hunting for food. ▶▶The polar bear was the mascot for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, AB. ▶▶Scientists warn that the primary threat to the species is climate change. Fast Facts Answers to Outside the Box Puzzles from page 56 1. Put your money where your mouth is 2. Cheap at half the price 3. In no time 4. Intern 5. One 6. 180 CSA MEMBERSHIP Early Renewal Winners 5-Year Membership R. Peacock & L. Hansen, Schomberg, ON M. & E. Roberts, Milton, ON R. & J. Hazen, London, ON D. & H. Glandon, Iroquois, ON G. & W. Hines, Burlington, ON $250 Petro Canada Gift Card J. Lepage & A. Beauvais, Bromont, QC R. Perry & G. Shirrmeister, Okanagan Falls, BC R. & M. Hutt, Tiverton, ON G. Stewart & J. Chadwick, Canmore, AB D. & H. Taylor, Toronto, ON In the Rear-View Mirror Let's reflect on the events that occurred a full century ago − in the year 1920. ▶▶Silver reached a record $1.37 per ounce. ▶▶Walt Disney began working as an artist with KC Slide Co. for $40 a week. ▶▶The Royal Northwest Mounted Police and the Dominion Police merged to become the RCMP. ▶▶Greece adopted the Gregorian calendar. ▶▶New Canadian small cent coin was released. ▶▶Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint. ▶▶Legendary slugger Babe Ruth became the first to hit 50 home runs in an MLB season. ▶▶Famous England-born entertainer, Bob Hope, became an American citizen. ▶▶The Summer Olympics were held in Antwerp, Belgium, where the Olympic flag as we know it today was debuted. ▶▶The Lincoln Motor Company was launched by a former Ford Co. executive. ▶▶The League of Nations was founded. Forbidden Fruit Deck the halls with boughs of holly, but don’t eat the red holly berries! They’re slightly toxic to humans and can cause a variety of unpleasant bodily reactions. They are, however, not poisonous to birds or animals, for which the berries can be an important food source. More facts and a little holly lore: ▶▶There are at least 480 species. ▶▶They thrive throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of the world. ▶▶Holly plants grow as trees, shrubs and climbers. ▶▶They are generally slow growing, with some species reaching a height of 25m. ▶▶The berries ripen in winter. ▶▶Only female plants produce the bright-red berries. ▶▶The species is classed as evergreen. ▶▶The lineage of certain varieties dates back millions of years. ▶▶If eaten, the leaves of the plant can cause the same kind of reaction as the berries. ▶▶The Druids believed that the holly leaves protected against evil spirits, thus they wore them in their hair. ▶▶In the Harry Potter novels, holly is used as the wood in Harry’s wand. 62 | www.snowbirds.org
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