Miss, why can't polar bears live where we do?

This is because they belong to a particular natural region. They can only live in the Tundra region or conditions similar those in the Tundra region.

What is a natural region?

 There are similarities of climate, vegetation and animal life in different continents that spread between certain latitudes. They are clubbed together and called natural regions. The entire land area on the earth can be divided into these natural regions.

The Tundra region is located Between 65° to 90° parallels. This includes Greenland, N. Canada, 

N. Europe and N. Asia.

Identify the animals living the Tundra region from the next page. There are also walruses, foxes, and caribou.

What is the Tundra Region?

It is a very cold region. The mean summer temperature is 10°C. The mean winter temperature is -20° to -30°C The mean annual rainfall is 25 to 300 mm. There is short-lived vegetal life including short grass, small shrubs, flowers, lichens, moss.

The Eskimo people live a tough life. They are spread out sparsely in the region. People live in hide tents and igloos. They use sledges and hunt and fish. 

It's very difficult to live there! What about the Taiga region?

The Taiga region is between 55° and
65° N. parallels. It extends from Alaska to the Atlantic coast and parts of Eurasia. Spot the animals living in this region on the next page. Silver foxes, minks, elks, and caribous are found here.

The summer temperature is 15° to 20°C. The winter temperature is below 0°C. The mean annual rainfall is between 300 and 500 mm. Rainfall occurs in summer and there is snowfall in winter.  The vegetation consists of coniferous forests including spruce, fir, pine, redwood, etc. The leaves are narrow, and pointed. The branches lean towards the ground and the wood is light and soft.

The population is less.
Lumbering and hunting are the major occupations. However, there are a few agrarian activities also.

It still is very cold in that region. 

What is the grasslands (steppes and prairies) region?

This region lies between 30° and 55° north and south parallels in the interior parts of the continents. This stretches in Steppes (Eurasia), Velds (South Africa), Pampas (S. America), Prairies (N. America), Downs (Australia) etc.  Look at the next page and identify the animals that live in the region.

Here, extensive grass ranches are seen. Short grasses grow here in lumps. However, grass gets dried up in winter. Elder, poplar trees are found here.

Rearing animals is the main occupation here. Earlier, people had a nomadic life and lived in hide tents (Yurts). Kirgiz people are no more nomadic and now stay in well built houses. They grow wheat.

That was a warm region. 

What is the hot desert region?

The hot desert region is located between 20° and 30° north andsouth parallels.It is located in the western parts of continents including Sahara (N. Africa), Colorado (N. America), Atacama (S. America), Kalahari (S. Africa), Thar (Asia), etc. Look at the animals that live in this region on the next page. 

The mean summer temperatures are 30° to 45°C. The mean winter temperature is 20° to 25° C. There is tremendous heat and very low rainfall. The nights are very cold. There are thorny bushes with hardly any leaves. The leaves are narrow, oily, and have thick bark. Once moisture in soil is consumed, plants die. Examples include cactus, sisal, palm, date palm etc. There are less number of animals living on the ground. In the daytime, they live inside the ground. 

The natives of this region are Bedouins (Sahara), Bushmen (Kalahari), Aborigines(Australia). Most of their needs get fulfilled through animals. Agriculture is confined to river valleys and oases.