Learning Resources LER 0788 manual Care Instructions, Polar Bear, Hippopotamus

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Care Instructions

Wash exterior of animals by hand using warm water and soap. Dry immediately. To prevent water from trapping inside the animals, do not immerse in water.

Animal Facts

Polar Bear

Polar bears are the largest land animals that hunt for food (largest land carnivore)

When standing straight up on their hind legs, polar bears can be over 10 feet (305 cm) tall; when down on all four legs, polar bears are about 4 feet (120 cm) tall measured at the shoulder

Polar bears are great swimmers and have webbed front paws to help them swim; they can see very well under water

Five nations have natural polar bear populations: Russia, Denmark

(Greenland), Canada, Norway, and the United States (Alaska)

Adult female polar bears normally weigh 330 to 650 pounds (150 to 300 kg); adult male polar bears weigh from 775 to more than 1,700 pounds (350 to 770 kg)

Polar bears are 6 to 10 feet long (2 to 3 meters)

Polar bear cubs stay with their moms for up to 2.5 years

Underneath its fur, the polar bear’s skin is black

The life span of a polar bear is about 15 to 18 years

Hippopotamus

To keep their bodies cool, hippos spend up to 16 hours a day in rivers and lakes

Hippos are good swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes

The eyes and nostrils of hippos are located high on their heads; this allows them to see and breathe while mostly submerged in water

At sunset, hippos leave the water and travel over land to graze grass; they may travel over 5 miles (8 kilometers) in a night and can eat over 80 pounds (35 kilograms) of grass

Hippos can run as fast as a grown man for very short distances

Grown hippos are about 9.5 to 14 feet (2.8 to 4.2 m) in length and weigh about 5,000 to 8,000 pounds (2,270 to 3,630 kg)

A baby hippo is called a calf and weighs nearly 100 pounds (45 kg) at birth

A hippo can live up to 40 years in the wild

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Contents Guide Hippopotamus Care InstructionsPolar Bear Penguin ZebraMonkey Animal Act Discussion StartersDesign a Habitat