(So this is a preview--click on the pic, see what you think. I'm just being super slow with making these pendants--sorry. I blame summer and being in the midst of trying to sell my house and move to a new one. Bear with me! I haven't put the resin on these yet, which I'm scared to do. It's tricky stuff, and I've had zero luck so far. Frustrating. Hopefully I'll get it right this time. Stay tuned.)You're on your own.
A solo mission.
No one to hold you up. No one to cheer you on.
Just you and your will to survive the journey.
But there's no end in sight.
How much further can you go?
How much longer can you last?
Doubt, fear, despair--they're growing within you, but you're not giving up.
And then there it is, the finish line.
You see it. You're going to make it.
Because you're a polar bear--one of the strongest swimmers on the planet.
The "sea bear" is classified as a marine animal because she spends more time in the water and on sea ice than she does on land. She's got the perfect swimmer's bod for these extreme conditions. Her front paws are like oars, the back paws like rudders, and she has a thick layer of blubber for buoyancy and warmth. She has been spotted hundreds of miles offshore, using the sea ice to travel these big distances in search of ringed seals.
In recent years, disappearing sea ice due to rising water temperatures has forced many polar bears to remain on shore for longer periods of time but then also to take on riskier, longer open water swims. They are capable of going nonstop for 60 miles, but only when forced to do so--this drastic distance is a sign of the bear fighting for her survival. In 2008, polar bears were listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. They are the first species to be officially connected to the issue of global warming.
To learn more about this inspiring animal athlete, visit Polar Bears International.
