Can anyone help me with this question please
grizzly bears and polar bears are very closely related, so much so that they can reproduce to form hybrid offspring. use your understanding of natural selection to describe how polar bears became a separate classification from the grizzly.
The separation of polar bears from grizzly bears as a separate classification is due to natural selection. Polar bears evolved to adapt to the harsh Arctic environment, while grizzly bears adapted to live in a variety of habitats, including forests, mountains, and tundra.
Over time, the polar bear's physical characteristics, such as their white fur, large size, and webbed feet, became better suited for their Arctic habitat. These adaptations allowed them to hunt and survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic, where food is scarce and temperatures are extremely cold.
On the other hand, grizzly bears have adapted to their environment by developing strong muscles and sharp claws, which allow them to dig for food and defend themselves against predators.
Therefore, natural selection favored the traits that were best suited for each species' environment, leading to the divergence of polar bears and grizzly bears as separate classifications. While they may still be closely related and able to interbreed, their physical and behavioral differences have led to their classification as distinct species.