Green-colored polar bears are drawing questions from puzzled visitors at a Japanese zoo. Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae.
The sight of green polar bears has prompted many questions from visitors concerned about whether the animals are sick or carrying mold, said zoo official Masami Kurobe…
High temperatures in July and August and less-frequent water changes because of the zoo’s conservation efforts caused an algae growth in the bear pond and safety moat, Kurobe said…
The bears are expected to return to their natural color when the algae growth subsides in November.
I expect the “green” on a lot of American politicians to subside after November, as well.
What happened to the post that was HERE Before?
Little known fact. Polar Bear hair are hollow and clear.
That accounts for the color; the light refracting off of the hair returns the spectrum, white. The same effect is seen with snow, which is also clear. When polar bears appear brownish, that is dirt.
Being hollow makes for better insulation. I assume the green color is the algae getting inside the hair and staining it.
Wasss aaaaaa bi!
Why is this a post two months later? Does it take that long for news to travel from Japan?
Notice that nobody blamed Global Warming, for the bears being greener. People might get the idea that that’s a good thing. Or simply a ridiculous argument. Like so many other things that GW get blamed for (e.g. more allergies).
Bears in camo!
#6, Glenn,
I bet it is Bush’s fault for you.
Maybe these animals can adapt to living on land!
Okay the real truth is they are not putting enough chemicals in the pool.
They always seem yellow tinted in photos and on TV to me. Only look paper-white in art works.