The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak bear, which is approximately the same size. Although it is closely related to the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrow ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, they spend most of their time at sea (hence their scientific name meaning "maritime bear") and can hunt consistently only from sea ice, so spend much of the year on the frozen sea.
Ten Facts about Polar Bear
- An adult male weighs around 350-680 kg (770-1,500 lb), while an adult female is about half that size.
- The polar bear is found in the Arctic Circle and adjacent land masses. Due to the absence of human development in its remote habitat, it retains more of its original range than any other extant carnivore.
- Biologists use a working estimate of about 20,000-25,000 polar bears worldwide.
- The polar bear is often regarded as a marine mammal because it spends many months of the year at sea.
- The polar bear tends to frequent areas where sea ice meets water, such as polynyas and leads (temporary stretches of open water in Arctic ice), to hunt the seals that make up most of its diet.
- An adult male polar bear measure 2.4-3 m (7.9-9.8 ft) in length & an adult female bear measuring 1.8-2.4 metres (5.9-7.9 ft) in length.
- The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,210 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960.
- The feet are very large to distribute load when walking on snow or thin ice and to provide propulsion when swimming; they may measure 30 cm (12 in) across in an adult.
- The 42 teeth of a polar bear reflect its highly carnivorous diet
- The polar bear is the most carnivorous member of the bear family, and most of its diet consists of ringed and bearded seals.
