Polar Bear Watch Scavenger Hunt answer key (Answers are in red) Directions for Teachers/Educational Leaders: Please guide your team through the scavenger hunt and record your team s responses. Be sure to use the exhibit signs to help you answer the questions. Good luck! 1. When you enter Polar Bear Watch, you will see animals that live in. a. Africa b. Antarctica c. Arctic d. Alaska 2. The polar bears from the Maryland Zoo are actually from. a. Canada b. Other Zoos c. Alaska d. Antarctica 3. Polar bears use body language to talk with one another. Match the following behaviors with what the polar bear is trying to communicate: Standing on hind legs Flattened ears Mock boxing Let s play Let s wrestle Back off! 4. Name five ways polar bears spend their summers on land in the Arctic. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 5. During the summer, what are the polar bears waiting for? a. Migrating seals b. Ice to form so they can head out to hunt c. Cooler temperatures so they re not overheated d. The ideal time to hibernate
6. Polar bears can swim in the freezing cold water. What prevents them from getting cold? a. White fur color b. Fur coat and four-inch thick blubber c. Weight is over 1,000 pounds d. High body temperature 7. Even though a male polar bear is bigger and stronger than a female, he will back away from a mother protecting her cubs. True False 8. How many years do cubs remain with their mother? a. 4 years b. 2 years c. 1 year d. 3 years 9. What sense do the polar bears rely on the most? 10. Use the polar bear diagram below to label three adaptations the polar bear has developed on its body to help it survive. 11.Write the names of the three polar bears in order from oldest to youngest. 1) 2) 3)
12. Polar Bear Alert! If a polar bear wanders too near the town of Churchill, the Churchill Community does all of the following except: a. Chase it away b. House it temporarily c. Take it home as a pet d. Catch and relocate it away from the town 13. Observe the polar bears in the exhibit for at least ten minutes and record their behaviors on the Polar Bear Ethogram. Date: Time: Weather: Behavior Resting Bathing/Grooming Moving Using Tools/Toys Eating Social Interactions (Flattened ears, mock boxing, standing on hind legs) Swimming Polar Bear Ethogram Tallies of Occurrence Additional Observation Descriptions 14. Why do arctic foxes trail polar bears hundreds of miles across winter pack ice? a. They like the companionship. b. They scavenge the polar bears prey (eat leftovers). c. They like to chase them. d. The polar bears protect them. 15. Arctic foxes coats change color to blend into their surroundings. a. What season would arctic foxes be brownish-gray? b. Why do you think this is the case?
c. What season would arctic foxes be white? d. Why do you think this is the case? e. What color is the arctic fox today? 16. Compare the length of the arctic fox s tail to the length of its body. Why do think the tail is so long? a. The long tail attracts other foxes. b. The tail can be used to defend against predators. c. Their offspring hold onto their mother s tails when traveling. d. They can wrap themselves in their tails to keep warm. 17. What do snowy owls primarily feed on? 18. Snowy owls are fiercely protective of their eggs and chicks and have been known to chase off polar bears, wolves, and foxes. True False 19. What are the names of the ravens at the zoo? 20. Who wrote the poem The Raven that inspired our team s mascot? 21. Where do the ravens travel on Sundays during a home football game? a. The aquarium b. Church c. M&T Bank Stadium d. To visit their family 22. Use the T-chart below to compare the zoo s Ravens to the Baltimore Ravens. Be creative! Zoo s Ravens Baltimore Ravens
23. Global climate change means all of the following for polar bears except: a. There will less ice on which to hunt. b. The warmer temperatures will help them catch more seals. c. There will be fewer food sources. d. They will have to travel farther to find food. 24. What can you do to prevent climate change? Thank you for visiting the Polar Bear Watch!