Polar Animals

Hi fellow quilters!

Today I’m going to introduce you to some of the animals who are featured in our “Polar Animals” quilt pattern, since it is still winter out there  (at least in the Northern hemisphere)!  This cute quilt features animals who are indigenous to the North and South polar regions.  The harsh environment near the poles makes it necessary for the animals who live there to have special adaptations that help them survive and thrive!

So let’s talk a little about how these amazing creatures are able to live in such a frigid region of Earth!  Our finished quilts are shown here:

 

 

 

Let’s start off with the caribou!  A native of North America and Eurasia, this animal is sometimes called a reindeer.  (Yup, the same ones who take time off from the herd to help Santa with his sleigh every Christmas!)  Reindeer and caribou are actually the same species but the reindeer is domesticated and the caribou is wild.  One survival skill that the caribou employ is migration in herds to avoid the worst of the winter weather.  They also have snowshoe-like hooves that spread out to help them keep their footing on the ice, snow,  and soft tundra.

The Arctic fox is an amazing predator!  A keen sense of hearing allows her to pinpoint the location of small prey animals beneath the snow, so she knows where to pounce to find supper.  The fox’s thick winter coat is white to camouflage her from prey animals, but the coat changes to brown in the summer (camouflage on the snow-free tundra).  Her shortened ears and muzzle help decrease heat loss.

The walrus has big, strong tusks for defending his territory from other walruses and predators that come to call.  His sturdy body is well-insulated with a thick layer of blubber to help keep him warm in the icy water where he hunts for food.  The walrus loves to sun-bathe on the beach to warm up after a dip in the ocean.

The puffin has water-proof feathers to help him float on the ocean water.  Puffins spend most of their lives at sea, and can swim underwater to pursue the small fish that they eat for breakfast.  The colorful beak makes them attractive to potential mates during their breeding season.  Hey there, puffin!  Lookin’ good.

The sea lion also spends much of her time in the water!  Her streamlined shape and strong flippers help her swim fast and maneuver easily while she’s hunting.  She likes to dine on  fish, of course.  Baby sea lions are usually raised on small rocky islands until they swim well enough to catch their dinner and also avoid their predators.

Speaking of predators, there’s a good reason why the orca is also called the “killer whale”.  These intelligent mammals often hunt in packs, and coordinate their attacks with rather sophisticated communication.  Orcas use a variety of hunting strategies, depending upon what (or who!) is on the lunch menu that day.

The mysterious narwhal is a very fast swimmer who can dive deep to hunt prey.  His tusk is actually a special tooth, but we’re not entirely sure of the function of the tusk.  The shape of the narwhal’s body minimizes heat loss and improves its speed in the water.  The narwhal’s internal organs are specially adapted to making deep dives.

If you’d like to make your very own “Polar” quilt, you can purchase the pattern in our pattern shop! 

 

 

Thank you so much for visiting our blog today!  I hope that you enjoyed reading about these amazing animals.  Check back next time to read about the rest of the animals that we chose for our “Polar” quilt.

Happy quilting,

Sharon