How do black skin thick fur and body fat help polar bears stay warm?

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Jasper National Park: grizzly bear — bear Grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, western Alberta, Canada.

To clarify, while polar bear fur appears white for camouflage, it is actually colorless and hollow, which helps trap air for insulation. Their ability to survive in extreme Arctic temperatures is supported by a combination of specialized physical features:1

Black Skin: Located beneath the fur, the bear's black skin is highly effective at absorbing heat from sunlight.1
Thick Fur: The coat consists of hollow, transparent hairs that trap air, providing a critical layer of insulation against the cold.1
Body Fat: Polar bears possess a dense layer of fat, reaching up to 4 inches in depth, which acts as a powerful insulator to retain body heat in temperatures that can drop below –50°F (–45°C).1

These adaptations work together to maintain the polar bear's core temperature, though the animals must keep their coats clean to ensure these insulating properties remain effective.1