Planet Earth: Polar Bears in the Arctic
In What Happens When Polar Bears Wake Up Hungry?, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains that a mother polar bear must hunt seals before the spring ice melts. However, a blizzard threatens her two young cubs, and the sea ice is a dangerous place for them. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Sir David Attenborough takes you inside the most remote, extreme, and jaw-dropping corners of the planet — filmed over four years across 64 countries. Learn more.
Lesson Express
Q: Why doesn’t the mother keep her cubs safely away from the ice?
A: She must hunt and eat seals, and the cubs follow her.
Q: Why do you think almost half of all polar bear cubs die in their first year?
A: Student responses will vary. Students may suggest that cubs fall into the water and freeze or drown or that they are hunted by other predators.
Q: What do you think would happen to the polar bears if the planet warms up enough to melt the Arctic ice earlier in the year?
A: Student responses will vary. Students may suggest that there won’t be enough ice for the mother to hunt when they come out of hibernation, and they will starve.
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In Opportunity for Animals as the Tides Ebb and Flow, narrator Sir David Attenborough examines how the Moon’s impact on the Earth and the tides create opportunity for animals, like the bottlenose dolphins who move into shallow waters at high tide to feast on mullets. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In On the Hunt with Sea Lions, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how the sea lions of the Galapagos Islands use the rough and barren coastline to their advantage, enticing their prey into a cove. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.
In A Sea Otter Comeback, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how sea otters were hunted and almost became extinct, as well as why they are an important part of the ocean ecosystem. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.