Black skin of a polar bear
The polar bear is an apex predator in the Arctic. It is perfectly adapted to the cold climate in this part of the world. One of such adaptations is black skin, covered with two thick layers of fur. Thanks to its dark color, it absorbs more sunlight, which heats the animal’s body.
The fur itself consists of transparent, hollow hair — it reflects very well the white sunlight giving the illusion of a bright color.
Male polar bear, Hornsund, Spitsbergen (author: Piotr Andryszczak)
This project (EDU-ARCTIC) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 710240. The content of the website is the sole responsibility of the Consortium and it does not represent the opinion of the European Commission, and the Commission is not responsible for any use that might be made of information contained.