QUESTION:
If you brought a Polar Bear to the South Pole would it survive? 
 
                        Sincerely,
                        Miss Haggerty's 4th grade class 
                        Brunswick,ME 04011

ANSWER from Polly Penhale, National Science Foundation
            Program Manager
            Mon Mar 10 10:01:31 1997

Dear Class,

If a polar bear was brought to the South Pole itself, it would 
certainly die. The South Pole, which is in the center of the 
continent, has almost no life (perhaps some bacteria survive there...) 
and the bear would starve to death. If the polar bear were brought to 
a coastal area, it would probably survive a while, since there are 
seals and birds to eat. Many of these seals and birds breed on land 
during the summer and then move away during the winter. The polar bear 
would have to move onto the sea ice during the winter to search for 
food. Scientists have a very poor understanding of the winter 
distribution of birds and seals in Antarctica because it is difficult 
to mount a scientific expedition during the cold and dark periods such 
as winter. So, if the bear could find food on the winter sea ice, it 
might survive to the next summer. I think that is a very big "if".


Thanks for your interesting question!

Polly Penhale