Grizzly polar bear
The grizzly polar bear is a rare hybrid species of the native polar bear and the grizzly bear. This breed can be found in the wild as well as confined in sanctuaries and zoological parks. This type of polar bear was confirmed to exist with a DNA test of a different looking polar bear, which was found shot dead in the Canadian Arctic region. However, the DNA techniques to trace back the grizzly polar bear’s ancestry are not accessible. These hybrid bears have known to be hunted and shot down even in the past for food and other commercial purposes.
While there was evidence of one existing grizzly polar bear, many sightings in the wild have been reported. Zoologists have been trying to figure out how this wild hybrid of polar bear came into existence. The two species of polar bears, the result of which is the grizzly polar bear though are similar in genetics and habituate in the same geographical territory, they have been known to avoid each other in the free natural habitat. These two species also pervade ecological niches which are different.
These grizzly polar bears, unlike the native polar bears, are inclined to live and also breed on land. While the native polar bears live in and around water most of their lives and prefer to breed on ice.
While the replica of a grizzly bear was hunted and shot down in the year 2006, it was assumed by the hunter that it was a normal bred polar bear. When the incident was reported to the forest officials, they took keen interest in the dead mammal found. They discovered that the features were very distinct from that of normal bears. It had creamy white fur similar to the typical bears but also had lengthy claws, shallow face, patches of brown skin around the eyes, and humped back. These features are distinct to the grizzly bear. However, this bear was not proved to be a grizzly bear.
The hunting of these rare grizzly polar bears will lead to a fine of CAN$ 1,000 and almost a year of imprisonment. This polar bear was traced to be a cross breed of a grizzly father and polar bear mother. Though there were similar cases found in zoos, this was the first of its kind to be found in the wild and hence was documented.
The characteristic features of this grizzly polar bear resemble that of an in-between of the polar bear and the grizzly bear. While the bodies of the hybrid species are smaller than polar bears, they are bigger than that of grizzly bears. Even the size of their heads lies in between the large heads of grizzly bears and small heads of polar bears. As the soles of the polar bears are covered completely with fur (which acts as insulators against the cold), the grizzly polar bears have partially fur covered soles, while the grizzly bears have furless soles.
The behavior pattern of these hybrids resemble more to that of polar bears as compared to grizzly bears. They have foot movements similar to that of a polar bear breaking an ice-berg.