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The most carnivorous of the bear species, polar bears feed primarily on the fat of ice-dependent seals. The remains of these seals provide food for many other Arctic wildlife species, giving polar bears a vital role in their ecosystem. Polar bears are marine mammals, and spend much of their time on Arctic sea ice.

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polar bears been known to actack humans now

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polar bears been known to actack humans now

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According to records compiled by James Wilder, a US Forest Service biologist, there were only 20 fatal polar bear attacks (out of 73 total attacks) between 1870 and 2014.

That's what the 14 June 2016 account in the Anchorage Daily News says ("Sea ice has been keeping polar bears and humans apart - until now" ). But I think it's kind of delusional to suggest that a list of recorded attacks, spanning 145 years throughout the Arctic (including Russia), have captured more than a fraction of all actual polar bear attacks - given that many Arctic communities didn't have reliable communications in the 1970s (let alone the 1870s). How about all the Inuit and Siberian hunters over the years who failed to return home because they were killed and eaten by a polar bear - unbeknownst to anyone?

Wilder presents these numbers as a basis for saying how concerned he is that a longer open-water season in the Arctic could increase the number of attacks by polar bears - and he's right, that's a valid concern now that the global population of bears is so high. Many polar bears plus people in a confined area is never a comfortable situation, as the people of Churchill, Manitoba have learned.

But declining sea ice is not the only scenario that could lead to an onslaught of hungry bears and a slew of fatal attacks, as my new science-based novel highlights. The truth is that if polar bears don't get enough food in the spring - for any reason - the ice off the beaches of Arctic communities gives polar bears easy access to human prey. If that happens, people had better be prepared - because doors and windows won't necessarily stop a determined polar bear.

Continue reading

Posted in Polar bear attacks, Sea ice habitat

Winter in the Arctic can be a tough time for polar bears. Between the cold, darkness and ever-thickening sea ice with fewer open leads, polar bears often find that seals are hard to come by.

So it should not be surprising to find out that polar bears are at their lowest body weight at the end of winter (Ramsay and Stirling 1988:613; Stirling 2002:68).

In other words, polar bears lose weight over the winter - not just during the ice-free summer period. That's why the spring and early summer feeding period is so critical: gorging on young seals rebuilds the polar bears' fat reserves lost over the winter and packs on even more fat to tide them over the late summer/early fall ice-free period.

Last fall, a potentially serious attack by a polar bear on a Churchill, Manitoba resident on Hallowe'en night (early hours of November 1) got a lot of attention worldwide. Some media outlets suggested that the bear involved in this attack was either starving or so hungry that he was driven to attack. However, this assertion was not supported by any evidence - we simply don't know whether he was in poor condition or not. While the bear was undoubtedly leaner at the end of October than he was in July, that doesn't mean he was actually 'starving.'

So, here's the question: given that polar bears have a tough time finding seals to eat during the dark and cold Arctic winter and are presumably at their hungriest then, do serious polar bear attacks on humans also happen in winter?
Continue reading

Posted in Life History, Polar bear attacks

Tagged body condition, Edward Nelson, fatal polar bear attacks, James Wilder, polar bear, polar bears in winter, St. Lawrence Island, starving polar bears, vandalism, winter attacks

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Posts about fatal polar bear attacks on polarbearscience

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According to records compiled by James Wilder, a US Forest Service biologist, there were only 20 fatal polar bear attacks (out of 73 total attacks) between 1870 and 2014. That's what the 14 June 2016 account in the Anchorage Daily News says ("Sea ice has been keeping polar bears and humans apart - until now" ).

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These great white bears are an icon of the Arctic, and many people feel a connection to polar bears, even if they've never seen one in person.

But you've probably also seen images circulating on the internet of starving polar bears struggling to stand, let alone hunt and contend with the elements. Habitat loss, human disturbance and climate change are combining to overwhelm polar bears. Alaska's Arctic is rapidly overheating, experiencing the effects of climate change at twice the rate of the rest of the world.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain is the most important land habitat for denning polar bears, and 76% of the coastal plain is designated critical polar bear habitat. Yet that is precisely where devastating drilling for oil and gas is proposed to take place.

Defenders of Wildlife is fighting for polar bears by advocating for protection of vital habitat. We are advocating against proposed oil and gas development on the Arctic Refuge coastal plain, which is incompatible with conserving and recovering this listed species.

We are speaking up publicly and submitting detailed scientific comments about the plight of polar bears and other imperiled Arctic wildlife. We have exposed the significant impacts that even exploring for oil would have on bears, let alone permanently industrializing their critical habitat. And we are working on the ground with the communities that live with polar bears to protect both people and bears by reducing human-bear conflicts.

Around the country, we are fighting climate change by promoting wildlife-friendly renewable energy development and encouraging a reduction of carbon emissions. In response to warming, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program students, along with Defenders of Wildlife and many others, are engaged in studies to better understand correlations between polar bears' stress levels and the loss of sea ice.

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These great white bears are an icon of the Arctic, and many people feel a connection to polar bears, even if they've never seen one in person. But you've probably also seen images circulating on the internet of starving polar bears struggling to stand, let alone hunt and contend with the elements.

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Sometimes coming up for air might not be such a good idea, especially if there's a hungry polar bear prowling about.

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Baby Polar Bear Cub information and facts.

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Is a polar bear really more dangerous than a grizzly bear?

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Answer (1 of 22): I once heard a joke about a guy that wanted to buy bear repellent in Alaska. He looked at the seller and said is there a guarantee that it will work against black bears, grizzly bears and polar bears.

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Home for polar bears is on the sea ice, where they hunt seals at open leads. Polar bears are found in five nations across the Arctic: the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway (Svalbard).

The sea ice is vast and ever-changing. Because of this a polar bear's home range can be enormous-far greater than any other species of bear. The size of a polar bear's range depends on two main factors: the quality of the sea ice and the availability of their seal prey.

More Polar Bears 101 Facts

A Polar Bear's Home Range

Unlike other large carnivores, polar bears don't have territories, partly because their sea ice habitat is always moving and seasonally changing, expanding in winter and retreating in summer.

Polar bears in regions with less sea ice and fewer seals may travel farther and have longer fasting periods.

When a young polar bear grows up, it may travel more than 1,000 kilometers to set up a home range apart from its mother's, although this remains a scarcely studied topic, because tagging and tracking a quickly maturing animal is tricky.

Scientists believe that most polar bears limit travel to home ranges of a few hundred miles. However, they know of one satellite-tracked female that trekked 4,796 kilometers -from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay to Greenland to Canada's Ellesmere Island and back to Greenland.

A World Of Ice

Some sea ice lies over productive hunting areas, and some ice regions will melt sooner than others in a warming Arctic.

Governments and scientists have designated 19 populations of polar bears based in four different sea ice regions in the Arctic.

These populations function as distinct management units and are spread out among five countries: Canada, the United States (Alaska), Greenland, Russia, and Norway. Roughly 60% of polar bears call Canada home.

The following four sea ice ecoregions differ in geography, status, sea ice levels, and vulnerability to climate change.

1. Seasonal Ice Ecoregion

Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Foxe Basin, Southern Hudson Bay, and Western Hudson Bay

Seasonal ice areas occur at the southern extreme of the polar bear's range and include places like Canada's Hudson Bay, where the ice melts completely each summer and the bears must wait for freeze-up in the fall until they can hunt again.

Status of these populations: Polar bears in seasonal ice areas are the most endangered, with longer and longer ice-free seasons testing the limits of their fat reserves.

2. Divergent Ice Ecoregion

Barents Sea, Chukchi Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and the Southern Beaufort Sea

In these areas, sea ice forms along the shore and then retreats, especially in summer. As the sea ice retreats farther and farther from shore in a warming Arctic, these polar bears are faced with a choice of coming ashore-and fasting until the ice returns in the fall-or swimming long, exhausting distances to reach the remaining pack ice.

However, because ice located far offshore lies over less productive waters, bears in these areas may successfully complete a marathon swim yet still not find any seals to hunt.

Status of these populations: Polar bears that live in these areas are at great risk-from longer and longer swims, prolonged fasting periods, and encounters with humans on shore.

3. Convergent Ice Ecoregion

Eastern Greenland, Northern Beaufort Sea, and the Queen Elizabeth Islands

Sea ice formed locally and transported from other parts of the Arctic collects along the shore of these habitats, providing polar bears with access to seals over productive waters.

Status of these populations: Polar bears in these areas are faring well now, but scientists predict that ice in these areas will disappear within 75 years-and, with it, resident polar bear populations-unless action is taken to reduce carbon emissions.

4. Archipelago Ice Ecoregion

Gulf of Boothia, Kane Basin, Lancaster Sound, M'Clintock Channel, Norwegian Bay, and the Viscount Melville Sound

Islands in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland are far enough north that sea ice remains along the coast even in summer, providing hunting grounds for the bears.

Status of these populations: This ecoregion is likely to provide a last refuge for polar bears and their sea-ice prey, but ultimately it too is threatened, without action on climate change.

Why does it help to divide the Arctic into sea ice regions?

It allows scientists to make informed estimates about how a population is faring, based on the health and condition of well-studied populations within the same region or across various regions.

It's the best tool for making comparisons.

Their Pace

Well known for their slow, plodding gait, polar bears walk at about five to six kilometers per hour. Females with small cubs walk more slowly, about two-and-a-half to four kilometers per hour.

Polar bears are able to gallop as fast as a horse over short distances but prefer to amble leisurely.

Norwegian scientist Nils Oritsland showed us that polar bears expend more than twice the energy of most other mammals when walking or running, showing higher-than-average increases in temperature and in oxygen consumption.

Walking bears expend 13 times more energy than resting bears. This partly explains their preference for still-hunting, which usually involves a long, patient wait for a seal to surface at a breathing hole in the sea ice.

Natural Sprinters

Polar bears are natural sprinters and can run as fast as 40 kilometers per hour-but only for short distances.

Younger, leaner bears are the best runners. They can cover two kilometers without stopping, whereas older, larger bears will quickly overheat.

Sharing The Arctic

Polar Bear FAQ

Are polar bears endangered?

See more FAQ

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Home for polar bears is on the sea ice, where they hunt seals at open leads. Polar bears are found in five nations across the Arctic: the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway (Svalbard). The sea ice is vast and ever-changing.

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1. Mosquito - Mosquitos carry the parasites that cause malaria which is responsible for the deaths of two million people every year.

2. Asian Cobra - Responsible for the majority of the 50,000 deaths by snakebite per year in India although it is not the most venomous.

3. Australian box jellyfish - The most venomous marine creature known to man, each tentacle has enough toxin to kill 60 people. Since 1884 at least 5,567 deaths have been attributed to these creatures

4. Great white shark - Since 1876 this shark has been responsible for 65 deaths worldwide and will develop a taste for human flesh once it has fed on a person. Each year 30-100 people die of shark attacks.

5. African lion - The only cats to live in a group, African lions work together to prey upon other animals and kill around 70 humans per year in Tanzania. In total, lions are responsible for over 250 deaths each year.

6. Australian saltwater crocodile - The largest living reptile on the planet mature males can reach 23ft in length and are opportunistic hunters using 'death-roll' to drown and suffocate their prey. Every year, over 2,000 deaths are caused by crocodiles.

7. The elephant - Elephants weight around 16 tonnes and are responsible for around 600 deaths every year through stamping and goring.

8. Polar bear - The largest meat eater living on land, polar bears are extremely protective of their cubs and attack viciously when there is a perceived threat. A polar bear can cut off a human head with a swipe of its paw.

9. Cape buffalo - The African Cape Buffalo will actively stalk and attack the hunter who wounded it. Each year it kills more humans in Africa than any other creature.

10. Posion dart frog - Native to the rainforests of South America their venom is enough to kill ten men and exudes from their skin. Natives run darts against their skin to use in hunting

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1. Mosquito - Mosquitos carry the parasites that cause malaria which is responsible for the deaths of two million people every year. 2. Asian Cobra - Responsible for the majority of the 50,000 deaths by snakebite per year in India although it is not the most venomous. 3.

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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.

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Polar bear weight varies with the season because of the availability of food sources. The adult males are generally heavier than adult females. Ursus maritimus are sexually dimorphic in fact one of the most dimorphic mammals in the marine world. Polar bear cubs weigh less than a kilogram but male cubs are greater than female cubs even at birth. Now let us study how much do polar bears weigh?

How Much Does a Polar Bear Weigh? - Polar Bear Weight

A full grown polar bear weighs as much as 350-700 kg (772-1,543 lb) but the average weight measure around 385 to 410 kg (849 to 904 lb). Males attain this much weight when they are 10 years of age. Kodiak bears are slightly heavier than adult white bears.

In the Beaufort Sea, males average 450 kg (992 lb) on maturity. They are nearly twice the weight of females. The heaviest male polar bear ever recorded was 1,002 kg (2,209 lb). The bear was shot in northern Alaska (Kotzebue Sound) in 1960.

Read More: How Big is a Male Polar Bear?

How Much Does a Female Polar Bear Weigh?

The weight of an adult female is one half of the male's body mass. Females weigh around 150- 250 kg (331-551 lb).The maximum reported weight in females is 260 kg (573 lb) but it is extremely rare. During pregnancy adult females put on too much weight almost equal to adult males' mass. Females gain as much as 500 kg (1,102 lb) weight when they are pregnant.

During pregnancy adult females put on too much weight almost equal to adult males' mass. Females gain as much as 500 kg (1,102 lb) weight when they are pregnant.

Females attain sexual maturity at 6 years of age. Soon after age they will put on much weight because of pregnancy. Extra weight is not because of cubs but due to the extra fats which she stored. She must store excess fats in order to spend days in the without eating. The female will come out of den in the spring season.

How Much Does a Polar Bear Cub Weigh?

Main Article: How Much Does a Baby Polar Bear Weigh ?

The polar bear cubs weigh 1 - 1.5 pounds (0.8 kilograms) at birth. Females are smaller and less heavy than males at birth. When the cubs reach 90 - 100 days age they leave the den. At this time they weigh up to 33 pounds (115 kg). A cub born in the Alaskan zoo averages 18 pounds (8 kg) and the bear was 90 days old.

How Many Pounds Does a Polar Bear Weigh?

Polar bears weigh around 772 to 1,543 pounds but most bears weigh less than 1,000 pounds. The heaviest polar bear ever recorded at the Guinness Book of World Records measured at 849 to 904 pounds. The average weight of a female polar bear in pounds is about 573 pounds.

How Much Does a Polar Bear Weigh? - Video

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How Much Does a Polar Bear Weigh? - Polar Bear Weight * PolarBearFacts.net

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The weight of an adult female is one half of the male's body mass. Females weigh around 150- 250 kg (331-551 lb).The maximum reported weight in females is 260 kg (573 lb) but it is extremely rare. Let's study in detail how much does a polar bear weigh in the wild.

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.

Fun Polar Bear Facts for Kids

Enjoy our range of fun polar bears facts for kids. Learn what they eat, how much they weigh, where they live, how fast they can run and lots more interesting information. Read on and check out our cool trivia about polar bears.

Polar bears live in the Arctic.

Polar bears have black skin and although their fur appears white, it is actually transparent.

It is the largest carnivore (meat eater) that lives on land.

Polar bears use sea ice as a platform to hunt seals.

Seals make up most of a polar bears diet.

Male polar bears can weigh up to 680 kg (1500 lb).

Female polar bears usually only weigh about half as much as males.

Polar bears spend most of their time at sea.

Scientists estimate that there are around 20000 polar bears.

Polar bears have 42 teeth.

The scientific name for the polar bear is 'ursus maritimus'.

Polar bears keep warm thanks to nearly 10 cm of blubber under the skin.

Polar bears have an excellent sense of smell, with the ability to detect seals nearly a mile away (1.6 km).

Polar bears can reach speeds up to 40 kph (25 mph) on land and 10 kph (6 mph) in water.

The polar bear was the mascot for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.

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Fun Polar Bear Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Polar Bears

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Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Fun Polar Bear Facts for Kids Enjoy our range of fun polar bears facts for kids. Learn what they eat, how much they weigh, where they live, how fast they can run and lots more interesting information.

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How do Polar Bears stay warm?

The polar bear loves and is well adapted to the cold and icy climate of the Arctic. They have a dense fur that has hollow air-filled hairs which insulate the polar bear from the frigid weather conditions. The fur also allows them to absorb the sunlight which also keeps them warm. They also have a layer of blubber or fat that also adds protection, this layer can sometimes be 4 to 5 inches thick.

Why is the Polar Bear's fur white?

Actually it is not white, because each hair is a hollow tube; it is free of any pigments and is transparent. Polar bears look white because of the way the light hits the hollow hair and reflects the visible light, especially in the sunlight.

How do Polar Bears swim?

Their very large paws are partially-webbed, which helps them be excellent swimmers, they have been known to swim 100 miles at one stretch.

How do Polar Bears keep from slipping on the ice?

The paw pads have a rough surface which helps the polar bear from slipping on the ice.

Do Polar Bears hibernate like other bears?

No they do not, they spend most of their lives on the sea ice, and when a female polar bear is going to have baby bears, she will make dens in the earth or snow. They primarily build the dens on land, but once in a while they may build a den in the snow on a floating ice cap. The mother polar bear will stay with her cubs in the den where it is safe until spring.

Where do Polar Bears live?

They live in the arctic north, which is all directions that surround the North Pole; this includes US (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Denmark (Greenland). To learn more about where polar bears live, take a moment to visit the Polar Bears International website.

What does the loss of sea ice have to do with the Polar Bear?

The polar bears live and hunt on sea ice. This is where they spend most of their time, the larger the gap of water is from land to the floating sea ice, makes it harder for the polar bears to reach the ice caps. The are excellent swimmers, but the distance between the land and the ice caps may prove too big for the polar bear to swim much more dangerous.

Are the Polar Bears on the Endangered Species List?

Yes, on May 14, 2008, the US Department of the Interior changed the classification of the polar bear from threatened to endangered. The major reason for this was the concerns about the loss of sea ice in the polar bears habitat.

How much do Polar Bears weigh?

An average adult male may weigh from 720 to 1,700 pounds. Females are not so big and weigh around 500 to 600 pounds.

How many baby bears do Polar Bears have?

A Polar Bear baby is called a cub. A female polar bear can give birth to one to three cubs, but will normally give birth to 2 cubs. She will give birth sometime in the month of January in the den she built to keep them safe where they can grow big and strong until spring, which is when they will first venture out into the Arctic wilderness. The cubs will stay with their mothers for about 20 months. In that time, she will teach them to hunt and learn how to live in the cold Arctic environment. For those cubs born in the high Arctic, where life is a little more challenging, the cubs will stay with their mother for another year.

How big are Polar Bear cubs when they are born?

The newborn cubs are only about 12 to 14 inches long and weigh just about one pound.

What is the scientific name for Polar Bear?

The scientific name for polar bear is Ursus Maritimus, which means "sea bear."

Sources:
Polar Bear International: http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/bear-facts/polar-bear-fur/ National Wildlife Federation: http://www.nwf.org/polarbear/ National Geographic: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Polar-bear

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Please select one of the FAQs below---How do Polar Bears stay warm?Why is the Polar Bear fur white?How do Polar Bears swim?How do Polar Bears keep from slipping on the ice?Do Polar Bears hibernate like other bears?Where do Polar Bears live?

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Polar bears follow the rhythm of their internal clocks. From season to season, learn about the life cycle of the polar bear, from mating to birthing, and the years that follow.

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Take action and help keep polar bears in the Arctic, always.

Our campaign celebrates action on climate change and focuses attention on the challenges polar bears face.

To save the polar bear's habitat, we need to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Promising shifts are underway in sectors including transportation, energy usage, and food production-all of which have an impact.

Become part of the momentum for change by speaking up in support of policies and processes that will help us transition to a sustainable society. It's also important to modify your own habits and take action in your community in support of sustainable choices-from bike lanes to farmer's markets-that make a low-carbon lifestyle more accessible.

© Daniel J. Cox/NaturalExposures.com

Commit to change today.

Individual actions can make a great impact on the status quo.

PBI scientists have put together a list of which individual actions have the most impact. Take a look through these tips, find out what you're already doing, and then commit to adding two or three more actions.
Take a Look

We challenge you. You challenge your community.

Energy saving and community action projects make a difference, too.

Our challenges begin each year on International Polar Bear Day,
on February 27, and continue throughout the year.
Follow our schedule and make some concrete, actionable changes!

Community Action Toolkits

Challenge yourself and your community.

The only way to ensure a future for polar bears is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We've developed four downloadable toolkits that offer fun, educational challenges for your family, community, network and friends.

Included in each toolkit are:

Engaging contextual statistics and facts.

Detailed instructions on how to manage the challenges.

Sample emails you can use to engage local businesses.

Media release outlines and sample letters to pitch local journalists and broadcasters.

Images and text ready to share on different social media platforms.

Join our community

Share your photos, updates and efforts with us, using #SaveOurSeaIce on social media.

Browse our projects, our work, and our efforts.

© Daniel J. Cox/NaturalExposures.com

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Save Our Sea Ice Campaign - Polar Bears International

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Take action and help keep polar bears in the Arctic, always. To save the polar bear's habitat, we need to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Promising shifts are underway in sectors including transportation, energy usage, and food production-all of which have an impact.

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Hungry Polar Bear Ambushes Seal | The Hunt | BBC Earth

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Polar bear facts

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Polar bears are large, white bears that like cold climates, fatty meals and long days of hunting. No matter how adorable polar bears look, these animals are not cuddly. In fact, polar bears are ferocious hunters, and they are the biggest carnivores among land animals.

Size & appearance

Polar bears are also the largest species of bear. For bears, height is usually measured at the shoulder when the animal is on all fours, according to Polar Bear International. On average, polar bears on all fours are 3.5 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) tall, but when standing on its hind legs, an adult male polar bear may reach more than 10 feet (3 m). Lengthwise, they are 7.25 to 8 feet (2.2 to 2.5 m) from head to rump. Their tail adds another 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 centimeters).

An adult male polar bear weighs around 775 to 1,200 lbs. (351 to 544 kilograms). The largest polar bear recorded weighed 2,209 pounds (1,000 kg), according to Polar Bear International. Females weigh half as much as their male counterparts, at only or 330 to 650 lbs. (50 to 295 kg).

Polar bears appear to be white, but their hair is actually transparent; the white results from light being refracted through the clear hair strands, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW), a database maintained by the Museum of Zoology at the University of Michigan. The bears can also be yellowish in the summer due to oxidation, or may even appear brown or gray, depending on the season and light conditions. Polar bear skin is black; it absorbs the heat of the sun to keep the animals warm.

Habitat

Polar bears live in countries that ring the Arctic Circle: Canada, Russia, the United States (in Alaska), Greenland and Norway. In the winter, temperatures in the Arctic are usually around minus 29 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34 degrees Celsius) and can reach as low as minus 92 F (minus 69 C). The temperature of the water is frigid, as well, reaching as low as 28 F (minus 2 C), the freezing point of seawater, according to PBS Nature.

Polar bears are excellent swimmers; their scientific name, Ursus maritimus, means "sea bear," according to the San Diego Zoo. They use their big front feet to paddle and their back legs as rudders. These bears have been known to swim more than 60 miles (100 km) without rest. [ Images: Swimming Polar Bears]

Habits

Polar bears are solitary. The animal will spend its days sitting on the ice by a seal breathing hole, waiting for one to pop up. This style of hunting is called still-hunting. Polar bears will also seek out seal lairs, crash through the roof and kill the seals inside.

Unlike other bears, polar bears do not hibernate in the winter, according to the San Diego Zoo. They continue to hunt, unless the weather is extremely cold. Then they may seek shelter in a snow den.

Diet

The polar bear's primary food source is seals. Their diet of meat makes them carnivores. If the food supply is plentiful, they will only eat seal blubber. This high-calorie meal helps the bears build up fat reserves, which keep polar bears healthy between feedings and help maintain their body temperature. According to PBS Nature, polar bears need 4.4 lbs (2 kg) of fat each day. This is equal to about 121 lbs. of seal (55 kg) and provides about eight days' worth of energy.

If seal hunting isn't going well, polar bears will also eat anything they can find, such as fish, eggs, vegetation, reindeer, rodents, birds, berries and human garbage.

Offspring

Females usually give birth during the months of November or December, after a gestation of eight months. In preparation, the animals dig a cave from a snow bank in which to have their cubs. This cave is called a maternity den.

A female polar bear typically gives birth to twins, though singles and triplets have been recorded. At birth, a cub weighs only 1.3 pounds (about half a kilogram), but they grow very quickly. Cubs depend on their mothers for warmth and fattening milk, which is 36 percent fat, according to the San Diego Zoo. By spring, the cubs are outside the den, exploring, and at two years of age they are fully mature. Polar bears live around 15 to 20 years.

Classification/taxonomy

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), polar bears are one of eight species in the Ursidae family. Their full classification is:

Conservation status

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, polar bears are vulnerable; their numbers are declining, and their habitat - sea ice - is shrinking. It is believed that there are only 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears living in the wild.The IUCN reports that the polar ice cap is predicted to completely melt within the next 100 years. This will leave polar bears without a home and will affect the polar bear population greatly.

Polar bears are listed on the U.S. Endangered Species List as threatened. They are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Other facts

Their fat not only keeps polar bears warm, it also increases their buoyancy when they swim.

Polar bears have built-in socks. The bottoms of their paws are covered with fur to keep them warm and to help with traction in slippery situations.

A polar bear can sniff out a seal's breathing hole from more than half a mile away, according to the National Zoo. The bears can smell a seal on the ice 20 miles (32 kilometers) away.

Polar bears succeed in catching their prey in only 2 percent of their attempts, the National Zoo says.

The Inuit people still hunt polar bears for meat and fur, but hunting is carefully regulated by a quota system, according to Polar Bears International. Hunters pay respect to the bear's soul ("tatkok") by hanging the skin in an honored place in their igloo for several days. Inuit call polar bears "Nanuk" and believe they are wise, powerful and "almost a man."

The Sami (or Lapp) people refuse to say the polar bear's name for fear of offending it. Instead, they call it "God's dog" or "old man in the fur cloak," according to Polar Bears International.

Additional resources

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Alina Bradford - Live Science Contributor

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Polar bears are large, white bears that like cold climates, fatty meals and long days of hunting. No matter how adorable polar bears look, these animals are not cuddly. In fact, polar bears are ferocious hunters, and they are the biggest carnivores among land animals. Polar bears are also the largest species of bear.