21 Fascinating Polar Bear Facts

Few creatures on Earth inspire such fascination as the mighty Polar Bear, the largest bear species in the world and the apex predator of the Arctic. Also known by its latin name Ursus Maritimus or Sea bear, polar bears live above the Arctic Circle.

Due to climate change, they have become an urgent symbol of the rapidly declining sea ice which polar bears rely on for their mating, breeding and hunting.

To visit the Arctic and see them in the wild is a true privilege. From early Arctic exploration to scientific researchers and adventurous visitors  – our fascination with polar bears runs deep. 

And it’s not hard to see why. Polar bears are admired for their strength and resilience to their adaptability and for people of the Arctic, their cultural significance.

They can be found across the Arctic regions, but are mostly restricted to areas that have sea ice for significant periods of the year, including Canada, Greenland, Alaska, Svalbard, the North Pole and the Russian Arctic. 

Here are our top 21 polar bear facts:

1.  They’re above humans on the global food chain 

Polar bears aren’t just the apex predators of the Arctic. With no natural predators, they’re actually higher than human buildings on the global food chain.

Food scarcity means polar bears are moving closer to where humans live, although attacks are rare.

2. Polar bears are marine mammals

Due to the amount of time they spend on ice rather than on land, polar bears are the only bear species to be considered marine mammals. 

Polar bears hunt, mate, and breed on the sea ice and spend many months of the year away from land. 

3. They’re solitary creatures

Cubs spend two to three years with their mother before they go off hunting by themselves. Adults only mate for a few days per year, then they go off to hunt alone. 

4. Their body weight can change depending on the seasons

A polar bear’s weight can fluctuate depending on the season, females can double their weight between spring and summer when  they build up their fat reserves.

5. There are grizzly-polar bear hybrids

Changes in polar bear habitats have put them in contact with grizzly bears as they spend more time in the tundra regions of Alaska and Tundra. This has led to some cross-breeding and hybrid brown bear cubs!

6. Polar bears eat a lot, but they fast  for long periods too

Polar bears can fast for months at a time, when the sea ice melts and they have to spend long periods of time on land, they can store up to 70 kilos of food in their stomachs to conserve energy.

7. The average polar bear will travel across 100,000 square miles in its lifetime

Polar bears use their wide feet to travel huge distances through the snow and Arctic wilderness every year. 

8. They can swim for days 

Polar bears are excellent swimmers, and can actually spend days swimming. One bear study tracked a female bear that swam for 12 days, although she did take a few breaks. 

9. Despite the freezing Arctic temperatures, they can overheat

Built for the extreme heat, a polar bear’s two layers of fur and thick (4.5 inches) layer of body fat keep it warm. But when they’re moving fast to catch prey, they can overheat. 

10. Unlike other bears, they don’t hibernate

Polar bears are the only species of bears that don’t hibernate. Winter is an essential time for them to take to the sea ice and stay active eating and building dens. The exception to this is females, who stay in dens during pregnancy.

11. Tracking polar bear movements can be challenging

Tracking a polar bear’s movements can be difficult for scientists. This is largely due to their solitary nature and they spend time in remote locations.

Researchers use boats, helicopters, low-flying planes and more recently, high-resolution satellite imagery. 

12. They can hold their breath for more than two minutes

Polar bears close their nostrils when they dive, and can swim down to depths of 15ft, holding their breath for around 2 minutes at a time as they hunt seals.

13. There are around 19 polar bear sub populations

One of the lesser known facts about polar bears is that scientists have identified around 19 key regions where polar bears live. The total of 26,000 wild polar bears are divided into 19 units or sub-populations. 

14. Scientists can extract polar bear DNA from their footprints

Polar bear DNA can be extracted from the crisp footprints they leave in the snow. This provides valuable information for scientists and conservation without disturbing them.

15. Polar bear hunts are rarely successful 

Although they spend much of their time hunting, polar bear hunts are rarely successful. In fact, fewer than 2% of polar bear hunts are actually successful, and they spend a lot of time waiting at seal’s breathing holes for opportunities to catch their prey.

16. They communicate using scent, sound and body language

Polar bears can be playful with one another, using head wagging to indicate time to play. 

They also use nose-to-nose tough to greet each other and more aggressive or urgent communication usually involves loud vocalisations such as when a mother is scared for her cubs. Polar bears can even excrete scent through their paws and leave them in the snow to signal their presence to others.

17. They’re expert at building snow dens for their cubs

Female bears give birth inside of the snow dens they dig. They keep these dens cosy for their cubs by using their own body heat to guard against the extreme temperatures so it doesn’t drop too far below freezing. 

18. Polar bears can swim for 60 miles without stopping 

They’re excellent swimmers as well as well adapted for diving and can swim up to 60 miles without a rest, using their large paws as paddles.. 

19. They clear themselves by rolling in snow

The snow helps keep polar bears clean, and rolling about in it with their hind legs also helps when they start to overheat. 

20. They have an average of 5 litters

Female polar bears spend a lot of time pregnant, giving birth every 2-3 years and have an average of five litters.

21. They dig shallow pits to protect themselves from the Arctic wind

Although they don’t hibernate, even polar bears get tired of the harsh Arctic weather conditions occasionally. When freezing winds hit, they protect themselves in shallow pits using snow as a blanket where they can bed down for days at a time. 

Polar Bear Facts Summary

Physical Characteristics of Polar Bears

• Adult polar bears can vary in length, reaching between 180-260cm in length.
• Males polar bears are larger, weighing between 300-700 kg.
• Females are half the size, weighing around 150-300 kg.
• At birth polar bear cubs can weigh as little as 500 grams.

The polar bear’s fur creates a white appearance, which allows them to camouflage against their environment. But, they’re actually black underneath their thick fur, which helps them to absorb heat from the sun.  Their fur can also appear grey and yellow in colour. 

Polar Bear Habitats and Adaptations 

Polar bears evolved to be able to survive the harsh extremes of the Arctic which can plunge as low as -50°c in winter for days and even weeks at a time.

Polar bears have two layers of fur and a thick layer of body fat to keep them warm on the ice and in the freezing Arctic waters.

Their heads are small, relative to their bodies and they have 42, razor-sharp teeth adapted for a carnivorous diet. Another great adaptation is the polar bear’s paws which are massive, measuring up to 30cm across – as big as dinner plates. 

These large paws help polar bears to walk on thin ice without falling through it, and also to act as large paddles, allowing them to swim up to 26 miles per hour when hunting in the water. 

And they also have powerful claws, and slip-proof footpads which help polar bears to keep their grip on the ice and of course, their prey. 

Another fantastic adaptation is their acute sense of smell, allowing them to sniff out prey from as far as 20 miles away. Polar bears have a lifespan of 20-25 years. 

Hunting and Diet 

As the Apex predators, and the most carnivorous of all bear species – polar bears need lots of fat to survive in the frozen landscapes. They primarily feed on ringed seals and bearded seals and 

They spend over 50% of their time hunting for food, using their incredible sense of smell and other physical adaptations to catch seals and can eat up to 45kg of whale blubber in a single sitting. 

Polar bears wait for seals to breathe at the openings of the sea ice or catch ringed seals as they bask on top of it. 

But they have to be stealthy, as a missed opportunity could mean waiting hours or even days for another chance. 

Which is why they will also feed on geese, birds eggs, and whales that wash up on beaches but they don’t provide enough fat or calories for a polar bear to survive.

Conservation and Threats

Climate change is the single biggest threat to the survival of polar bears. This is largely due to the devastating loss of the sea ice, which is vital to their survival. As climate change takes hold sea ice forms later each year. Sea ice reflects visible light and is important for keeping the Arctic cool.

Polar Bears were listed as a threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act in May in 2008.

The effects of climate change are forcing polar bears further ashore, meaning more contact with Arctic communities, and oil spills are another environmental risk.

A number of organisations are working to protect polar bears and their habitats, including The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Polar Bear Specialist Group and Polar Bears international. There are currently an estimated 26,000 polar bears, and researchers estimate that most polar bear populations will have gone by the end of the century.

So now you know our polar bear facts have you dreamed about seeing these amazing animals for yourself in the wild? See our article Best Places To See Polar Bears or How To See Polar Bears In Svalbard to learn more.

If you would like to know more about the wildlife of the Arctic please see our Guide To Arctic Animals.

For a chance to see a polar bear for yourself please check out our Arctic Cruises and Tours.

Thanks for reading.