2798) The Majestic Polar Bear and Cubs, Canada: The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has issued a $5 (Five Dollars - CAN) Gold Bullion Collector Coin depicting a Majestic Polar Bear and two Cubs: Date of Coin issue: 13.04.2023:
About the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus"):
The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous species of bear.
Its native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas and landmasses, which includes the northernmost regions of North America and Eurasia.
It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size.
Although it is the sister species of the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice and open water, and for hunting seals, which make up most of its diet.
Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice.
Their scientific name means "maritime bear" and derives from this fact.
Polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. Because of their dependence on the sea ice, polar bears are classified as marine mammals.
Because of expected habitat loss caused by climate change, the polar bear is classified as a "Vulnerable Species" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
For decades, large-scale hunting raised international concern for the future of the species, but populations rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect.
For thousands of years, the Polar Bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of circumpolar peoples, and Polar Bears remain important in their cultures.
Historically, the Polar Bear has also been known as the "white bear". It is sometimes referred to as the "nanook", based on the Inuit term "nanuq".
It is found in the Arctic Circle and adjacent land masses as far south as Newfoundland. Due to the absence of human development in its remote habitat, it retains more of its original range than any other extant carnivore.
The polar bear is a marine mammal because it spends many months of the year at sea. However, it is the only living marine mammal with powerful, large limbs and feet that allow them to cover kilometres on foot and run on land.
Its preferred habitat is the annual sea ice covering the waters over the continental shelf and the Arctic inter-island archipelagos. These areas, known as the "Arctic ring of life", have high biological productivity in comparison to the deep waters of the high Arctic.
The polar bear's long muzzle and neck help it to search in deep holes for seals, while its powerful hindquarters enable it to drag massive prey.
The polar bear is the most carnivorous member of the bear family, and throughout most of its range, its diet primarily consists of Ringed (Pusa hispida) and Bearded "seals" (Erignathus barbatus).
The Arctic is home to millions of seals, which become prey when they surface in holes in the ice in order to breathe, or when they haul out on the ice to rest. Polar bears hunt primarily at the interface between ice, water, and air, they only rarely catch seals on land or in open water.
The polar bear's most common hunting method is called "still-hunting" - the bear uses its excellent sense of smell to locate a seal breathing hole, and crouches nearby in silence for a seal to appear. The bear may lie in wait for several hours. When the seal exhales, the bear smells its breath, reaches into the hole with a forepaw, and drags it out onto the ice. The polar bear kills the seal by biting its head to crush its skull.
The polar bear also hunts by stalking seals resting on the ice - upon spotting a seal, it walks to within 90 m (100 yd), and then crouches. If the seal does not notice, the bear creeps to within 9 to 12 m (30 to 40 ft) of the seal and then suddenly rushes forth to attack.
A third hunting method is to raid the birth lairs that female seals create in the snow.
For the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, polar bears have long played an important cultural and material role.
Polar bear remains have been found at hunting sites dating to 2,500 to 3,000 years ago and 1,500-year-old cave paintings of polar bears have been found in the Chukchi Peninsula.
The Arctic peoples' skills in seal hunting and igloo construction has been in part acquired from the polar bears themselves.
The Inuit and Alaska Natives have many folk tales featuring the bears including legends in which bears are humans when inside their own houses and put on bear hides when going outside, and stories of how the constellation that is said to resemble a great bear surrounded by dogs came into being. These legends reveal a deep respect for the polar bear, which is portrayed as both spiritually powerful and closely akin to humans.
The Coin:
The Coin has been issued in Gold and Silver Bullion
The Polar Bear is the largest land carnivore, yet it is surprisingly tiny (and helpless) at birth!
Blind, toothless, and covered in a very fine fur that makes them look hairless, newborn cubs only measure about 30 centimetres long and weigh less than a kilogram. Cubs grow rapidly during the first months, and they usually stay by their mother’s side for two to three years.
The 2023 all-gold edition is a touching Arctic wildlife portrait crafted in 24-karat (99.99% pure) gold and produced with a minimum guaranteed weight of 1/10 ounces. Each First Strikes coin has the added distinction of having been struck on the first day of production.
One cub has caught the mother’s attention by standing and leaning against her, while a second cub remains close by.
Marked by a “mother and cub” paw print privy mark, the tender scene is set against vivid radial lines that create a dramatic sunburst finish that adds movement, energy and excitement to the engraved art. The “paw print” privy mark is unique to this line of Premium Bullion coins, and for 2023, each coin is marked by side-by-side mother and cub paw prints—a cute nod to the family theme.
On the outer periphery is inscribed - "CANADA" (the issuing country), "1/10 Oz" (the weight), "OR" (Gold). "9999 metal content "PUR" (purity).
The specifications of this Silver Coin are:
Country: Canada; Denomination/Face value: $5 (Five Dollars); Date/Year of Coin issue: 13.04.2023; Coin Series Theme: "Bullion Coin Series": Coin Theme: "Majestic Polar Bear and Cubs"; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Or); Weight: 03.11 grams or 1/10 Oz; Diameter/Size: 16.00 mm; Coin Quality: Bullion with sunburst finish (vivid radial lines); Edge: Serrated; Privy Mark: "Paw prints of Mother Bear and Cub"; Mint: Royal Canadian Mint (RCM); Mintage: 1,000 pieces; Packaging: Card packaging with removable capsule; Designers: Pierre Leduc (Reverse), Susanna Blunt (Obverse).
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