SNOWFLAKE BEARS Set 3 x 0.5 g Pure Gold Coin Tokelau 2017

Giant Pandas are native to south central China and have become a much loved symbol of China.  Their diet is over 99% bamboo, but in the wild they will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion.  As a result of farming, deforestation and other development, the giant panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived and is classed as a conservation-reliant endangered species.

The Brown Bear (Ursus arches) is a large bear whose principal range includes Russia, India, China, Canada and the United  States (mostly Alaska), Scandinavia and Romania.  It is recognised as a national and state animal in many European countries and is the most widely distributed of all bears.  It is the largest land-based predator on earth.  They are one of the most omnivorous animals in the world and have been recorded as consuming the greatest variety of foods of any bear.

The Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and land masses is the natural habitat of the Polar Bear.  They can tolerate extreme cold conditions moving across snow, ice and open water.  Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea.  They are the most carnivorous member of the bear family and live primarily on seals.  They are now classified as a vulnerable species due to the risks of climate change, pollution and hunting.