Although the Arctic is too cold for me, the polar bear lives in this freezing climate, wherever there is ice on the sea. Although they spend most of their time on the ice, they are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for as long as two minutes. I can't do that without my space suit.

The polar bear is easily recognised by its beautiful white fur coat. Did you know that their hairs are in fact transparent but appear white because they reflect light from the snow? A fully-grown male polar bear usually measures from 2-2.5 metres from nose to tail and weighs 300-800kg – the heaviest bears can weigh the same as a small car.

Polar bears have several features that enable it to survive in its icy home. Its hairs trap air to keep it warm. Its ears are very small to prevent heat loss, and it has an extra set of eyelids to protect its eyes against bright light. It also has a very good sense of smell and can smell a dead whale from 30km away!

This is a seal - a polar bear's favourite food. Polar bears will also eat any dead walruses or whales they find. The best place for a polar bear to find its prey is at a hole in the ice, where seals come up for air. When a seal appears, a polar bear knocks it out with a single blow of its paw.

Polar bears only mate between March and May and the females are pregnant for up to nine months. In November, a pregnant female polar bear digs a den in the snow where she will give birth and remain until spring.

A polar bear usually gives birth to two cubs at a time. The newborn cubs are about the size of rats and are blind and deaf for the first few weeks. The cubs feed on their mother's milk, which is very high in fat.

The biggest threat facing the polar bear is the effect of climate change. Polar bears need a layer of sea ice from which to hunt, but planet Earth's rising temperatures are causing this ice to melt.

WWF is part of a movement called Stop Climate Chaos, which is trying to prevent your climate from warming up. This involves persuading governments to introduce energy sources that don't contribute to global warming.

Visit the Canon Kids Zone on our Polar bear tracker site