Final answer:
Among the options provided, polar bears would be the most affected by the melting of sea ice in Alaska, due to their dependence on sea ice for hunting seals. The blue whale is the largest animal, much bigger than African elephants, giraffes, or polar bears.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked which of the following animals would be most affected by the melting of sea ice in Alaska. The options provided are grizzly bears, polar bears, koalas, and black bears. Among these, polar bears rely heavily on sea ice for hunting and survival, as they primarily feed on seals by waiting for them at breathing holes in the sea ice. Consequently, polar bears would be the most affected by the melting of the Arctic sea ice. The other animals listed do not rely on sea ice for their survival and hunting practices to the same extent.
To more broadly answer the question posed by the student regarding the largest animal, the blue whale is, in fact, the largest living vertebrate, reaching up to 110 feet long and far surpassing other animals like the African elephant, the giraffe, and the polar bear in size.