SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVERYING (HONOURS)

ASSIGNMENT: GROUP PROJECT Date of Submission: 30 May 2017 Group Members

No. Names Student I.D

1. Kok Ka Shing 0323553

2. Zachary Ooi Cheng En 0323120

3. Yeong Poh Ling 0323590

4. Chiang Lin Chew 0323923

BIODIVERSITY IN MALAYSIA

UCM 60203U3

Distribution and Habitat

The Polar bear is a large carnivorous bear that is native to the Arctic Circle, its surrounding sea and land masses. They are considered a marine mammal as they spend many months a year at sea. Their distribution is mostly centered in the Arctic, but there is also a small population that can be found in James Bay, Canada. Their habitat are areas where annual sea ice covering the waters over the continental shelf known as “The Arctic Ring of Life”

Physical Features

The average adult Polar bear weighs 350–700 kg and measure 2.4–3 meters in total length. They are the only living marine mammal with powerful, large limbs and feet that allows them to cover long distances but they mostly cover most of that distance by floating on sheets of ice. Polar bears depend on a thick coat of insulated fur and a layer of fat to keep them warm. Their white fur coat turns yellows with age and when kept in captivity where it is warm and humid, the fur may turn a pale shade of green due the growth of algae. Reproduction

Polar bears have a polygynous mating system where one male mate with several female but the female only mates with one male. Mating take place on the sea ice in April and May where partners stay and mate repeatedly for the entire week.

Threats

Polar bears main threat are from global warming, which is melting the Arctic sea ice where they hunt for ringed and bearded seals, their primary food source. Besides that, pollution and oil and gas development in their habitat can affect the bears in a variety of ways.

Conservation Status

The IUCN lists the polar bear as a vulnerable species under criterion A3c, which predicts a population decrease of ≥30% over the next three decades.