Animals exhibit many adaptations to promote survival. Some are physical adaptations; others are behavioral. Compare the two bears you see here. The polar bear is adapted to the cold, snowy climate of the tundra. Their coloring is protective; their black skin and translucent fur help them to stay warm. Take a look at the other bear. This bear hibernates during the cold, snowy winter. Which answer does NOT explain why the bear hibernates?
A) During the winter, there are limited food resources for the bear.
B) During hibernation animals go into a deep sleep to conserve energy.
C) The bear is not white and would stand out in the snow, an easy target for hunters.
D) The bears eat a lot before hibernation and then live off of the stored fat while they are asleep.
I chose C. (Sorry there are no pictures.)
That is correct! Answer C does not explain why the bear hibernates, as it discusses the bear's coloring instead. Answers A, B, and D all give reasons for why the bear hibernates.
To find the answer to this question, we need to compare the two bears and identify the reason why one bear hibernates but the other does not.
First, let's compare the physical adaptations of the two bears. The polar bear is adapted to the cold, snowy climate of the tundra. Their coloring, black skin, and translucent fur help them stay warm. These physical adaptations allow them to blend in with their snowy environment and protect them from the cold.
Now, let's consider the behavioral adaptation of hibernation. Hibernation is a state of deep sleep or dormancy that animals enter during the winter to conserve energy. During hibernation, animals may reduce their metabolic rate, heart rate, and body temperature to survive when food is scarce.
Looking at the given options, we can eliminate the answer choices that explain reasons for hibernation:
A) During the winter, there are limited food resources for the bear.
This option explains a reason for hibernation, as limited food resources during winter would indicate the need to conserve energy through hibernation.
B) During hibernation, animals go into a deep sleep to conserve energy.
This option explains the purpose of hibernation, reinforcing the fact that hibernation is a way to save energy during unfavorable conditions.
D) The bears eat a lot before hibernation and then live off of the stored fat while they are asleep.
This option further supports the idea of energy conservation during hibernation. The bears consume a large amount of food before hibernation, storing it as fat that they rely on during their dormant state.
Therefore, the answer that does not explain why the bear hibernates is:
C) The bear is not white and would stand out in the snow, an easy target for hunters.
This option is unrelated to the concept of hibernation and focuses on the bear's coloration and potential vulnerability to hunters, which is not directly relevant to the question of why the bear hibernates.