The polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas.
Closely related to the brown bear, the polar bear is the largest extant
species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300 to
800 kg (700 to 1,800 lb). It has white or yellowish fur with black
skin and a thick layer of fat. Polar bears live both on land and on sea
ice, and usually live solitarily. They mainly prey on seals, especially
ringed seals. Male bears guard females during the breeding season and
defend them from rivals. Mothers give birth to cubs in maternity dens
during the winter. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
considers polar bears a vulnerable species. Their biggest threat is
climate change as global warming has led to a decline in sea ice in the
Arctic. They have been hunted for their coats, meat and other items.
They have been kept in captivity and have played important roles in
culture.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1814:
Peninsular War: In the south of France, Spanish, British and
Portuguese soldiers under the command of Arthur Wellesley defeated
French soldiers in the Battle of Orthez, causing the French to retreat
east.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orthez>
1972:
The Sunday People revealed that James Humphreys, a notorious
pornographer, had bribed a senior London police officer with a holiday
to Cyprus and Beirut.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Humphreys_%28pornographer%29>
1988:
The Armenian community of Sumgait in Azerbaijan was the target
of a violent pogrom.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumgait_pogrom>
1996:
The multimedia franchise Pokémon was launched with the release
of the video games Pocket Monsters Red and Green.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red,_Blue,_and_Yellow>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
take the shilling:
1. (Britain, military, historical) To enlist as a soldier in the British
army or navy by accepting a shilling from a recruiting officer.
2. (by extension)
3. (military, dated) To enlist as a soldier of any military force; to
join the armed forces.
4. (generally) To be on the payroll of an organization; to work for an
organization.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/take_the_shilling>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Men do change, and change comes like a little wind that ruffles
the curtains at dawn, and it comes like the stealthy perfume of
wildflowers hidden in the grass.
--John Steinbeck
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Steinbeck>