A polar bear's heat signature
A polar bear’s dense fur and blubber provide strong insulation. Under some conditions, the fur surface is close in temperature to the surrounding air and snow. That low thermal contrast can make the bear harder to distinguish in thermal imagery, but it is not invisible: infrared cameras can detect bears, and visibility depends on weather, background, and camera settings. [1–3]
Illustration showing low, but not zero, thermal contrast.
