Survival of the fittest is true in all walks of life. When drawing attention to animals at the top of the food chain, it is important to analyze what distinguishes them from others. What advantage do they have over their competitors? What are their weaknesses? Animals occupying the Arctic regions have learned to survive Mother Nature's furry presence, but they still must compete for survival with the Arctic's top predator, the polar bear. Polar bears inhabit the circumpolar Arctic regions. They live near their main food source in the Arctic ice shelves. Bears inhabit the Circumpolar North, which includes Canada, Alaska, Greenland and other regions of the Arctic. Temperatures range between -40°F and -50°F in the winter and summer temperatures remain around -29°F. When summer reaches the Arctic, polar bears are forced to travel to the remaining ice. They have adapted to survive in their unforgiving climate, climate and hunger being their only competitors. They have developed extraordinary hunting skills. To hunt in the Arctic regions, polar bears have managed to adapt to their location. They have developed a large olfactory bulb (the region of the brain that perceives odors), which allows them to smell seals almost a kilometer away and a meter under packed snow. Polar bears weigh 544 kg and could kill almost any animal with a simple strike of their paw. Their paws measure up to 31 centimeters in diameter and are intended to help distribute weight as they walk on ice. Their legs help them maintain stealth attacks on marine animals and overcome the obstacle of thin ice. Polar bears are also known as "sea bears", due to their extraordinary swimming abilities. While in the water... middle of paper......I live hunting for prey. The Arctic is one of the most extreme climates on Earth. Polar bears have created a number of adaptations such as coats, paws and feeding patterns to help combat sub-freezing temperatures. Reproduction is necessary for a species to survive. Polar bears have learned the most efficient method of raising their young in the Arctic environment. They serve as the main predator for many Arctic animals, but their only predators are of a different caliber. Global warming and hunger are the only competitors for polar bears in the Arctic. Mother nature is a competitor that is impossible to defeat, but one that you must work and adapt to. Polar bears are begging for battle to adapt to mother nature, but the question will be whether they will be able to survive the fight. Works Cited http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/essentials