Why polar bears don’t eat penguins?

In collaboration with polar explorer Timo Palo, the Ice Age Centre created the exhibition ‘Why Polar Bears Don’t Eat Penguins.’

The exhibition clarifies the often-confused regions of the Arctic and Antarctica, which are simply seen as cold areas by many. Meteorologist and polar explorer Timo Palo helps guide visitors on a globe-trotting tour. “Polar regions, including the Arctic, are the cooling systems of our planet’s climate. The Arctic acts like a giant refrigerator that balances the heat from the tropics, cooling both the air and ocean water, and helping maintain a more moderate global temperature,” explained Timo Palo.

The “star” of the exhibition is Estonia’s most famous polar bear, Franz, who was captured from Franz Josef Land, brought to Tallinn Zoo, and lived there until 2007. The polar bear taxidermy, owned by the Estonian Museum of Natural History, has been delighting visitors at the Ice Age Centre for 10 years and now has a new role in discussing environmental changes worldwide.

“A polar bear is an ice-dependent animal that can travel hundreds of kilometers in search of food, but when food becomes scarce, its journeys lengthen even more. It has to fast, its diet changes, and consequently, its behavior patterns shift,” explained Kadri Valner, CEO of the Ice Age Centre.

“Human activity is now having a significant impact on sea ice melting. On the exhibition, we present examples from twenty years ago, as well as model projections for the near future, and it’s certainly not encouraging,” said Valner.

But why is the exhibition titled this way? Well, it’s because people still often mix up where the Arctic is, where Antarctica is, and who lives in these regions. This exhibition helps remind visitors of what they’ve learned in school but might have forgotten.

The exhibition can be viewed on the environmental floor of the Ice Age Centre and was designed by the AdExpert design group.

We thank the Tallinn Zoo and the Estonian Museum of Natural History