2012 CANADIAN $20 FOR $20 POLAR BEAR FINE SILVER COMMEMORATIVE COIN

Polar Bear

For many Canadians, the profile of a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is as recognizable as the shape of a maple leaf or the silhouette of a Canada goose. Canada’s polar bears comprise more than half of the entire world population and they live primarily in the coastal regions of the Arctic, depending upon sea ice to hunt the ringed seal. The polar bear’s adaptations to its carnivorous lifestyle in the frozen north include a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, dense water- repellent fur the colour of snow, fur on the bottoms of its paws for traction and warmth, sharp claws, and an elongated body and huge forepaws that make polar bears great swimmers.