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Ready for an icy adventure, gang? Here at National Geographic Kids we're heading north - far north! - to meet one of nature's toughest animals in our 10 facts about polar bears!
Ten polar bear facts

1) Polar bears are found in the frozen wilds of the Arctic, in Canada, Alaska (US), Greenland, Russia and Norway.

2) These are seriously big bears, gang. Adult polar bears can measure over 2.5m long and weigh around 680kg. Their huge size and weight make them the largest living carnivores (meat eaters) on Earth!

3) Polar bears are well adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments on our planet. As well as their thick fur, they have a layer of fat, called blubber, that insulates (protects) their bodies from the frosty air and near-freezing water. Polar bears also have black skin under their glistening coat, which helps them soak up the Sun's rays and keep warm.

4) These magnificent mammals have an incredible sense of smell which they use to track their favourite grub, seals*. In fact, their sense of smell is so good, they can sniff out prey from up to 16km away!

5) Despite their size and bulk, polar bears are excellent swimmers, and have been spotted in waters over 100km offshore. They can comfortably swim at around 10km/h using their slightly webbed, 30cm wide paws like paddles in the water.

6) Although good swimmers, polar bears aren't quick enough to reliably catch seals in open water. Instead, they depend on the ice as a hunting platform. They wait near seal breathing holes or at the ice's edge for a seal to surface. They then snatch if from the sea and...gulp!

7) Did you know that a polar bear's fur isn't white? It's actually transparent with a hollow core that reflects light. This helps the bears blend in with their surroundings - a useful trick, especially when hunting wary seals!

8) Female polar bears give birth to their cubs in snow dens (in November or December), where the family is protected from the harsh Arctic environment. At birth, the cubs are only around 30cm long and weigh around half a kilogram - that's about the same as a guinea pig!

9) The polar family emerge from the den four to five months later. The cubs will stay with their mother for about two years, during which time they learn the skills needed to survive in the Arctic.

10) Sadly, these incredible creatures are classified as " vulnerable". The biggest threat to polar bears is climate change. Rising global temperatures means that sea ice is melting earlier and forming later each year, leaving polar bears less time to hunt for food. But the good news is you can help these amazing animals! Check out NG Kids' Five Top Conservation Tips for some environment-saving ideas.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable polar bear primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

*Polar bears occasionally feed on other arctic marine mammals, too, including whales, walruses and narwhals.

Photo: Getty Images UK.

Did you enjoy our 10 facts about polar bears? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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10 facts about polar bears! | National Geographic Kids

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Ready for an icy adventure, gang? Here at National Geographic Kids we're heading north - far north! - to meet one of nature's toughest animals in our 10 facts about polar bears! 1) Polar bears are found in the frozen wilds of the Arctic , in Canada, Alaska (US), Greenland, Russia and Norway.

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Among all the bears species, Polar Bears are very unique and interesting to study. Their adaptations to their environment in the cold arctic and their survival instincts have always fascinated researchers. Most recent studies have suggested a significant impact of global warming on the life of polar bears and have revealed alarming situation regarding their survival. We have gathered a complete set of Polar Bear Facts for Kids that will enable you to learn all about this amazing animal. Please do share this information with your friends and family in order to create awareness about polar bears.

Polar Bear Facts for Kids

The Polar Bear is a carnivorous bear which is found in the Arctic Circle i.e. Arctic Ocean, Seas and surrounding Land Masses.

It is the sister species of the Brown Bear.

It is born on land, but spends most of its time on sea ice in the Arctic Circle.

It is the one of the largest mammals living on land.

It is a marine mammal because it mostly found near ice and water.

Polar bears are on the top of the food chain in the Arctic region and feed primarily on the seals' fat.

The Polar Bear is one of the largest carnivorous mammal living on land.

It adopted its name - Polar Bear from the fact that it is mostly found at the North Pole of the earth.

A Polar Bear's body is covered in white fur generally. However, its fur color can range from white to creamy yellow and even light brown during summer.

Its fur is very thick, which keeps it warm in the extremely cold climate of the Arctic Circle.

The length of a male Polar Bear is 240-260 cm. And the length of a female polar bear is 190-210 cm.

There are NO other types or species of Polar Bears.

The Polar Bear is made for the cold climate of the Arctic Circle.

Its fur is made up of dense and insulating underfur which has guard hair on top. This fur prevents any heat loss. In fact, it can overheat an adult male if he runs.

Its skin below the fur is black in color, which surrounds an 11.4 cm thick layer of fat. Only this fat keeps the bear warm in water, because the bear's fur is a bad insulator when wet.

Bear cubs can't swim in water because their fat layer isn't thick enough to prevent heat loss.

The polar bear tail is short and ears are small and round, which further minimizes the heat loss.

The paws of the Polar Bears are ideal for walking on the Arctic.

In water, the front paws act as large paddles and rear paws act as rudders for swimming.

Polar bears have a remarkable sense of smell as they can detect a seal 3 feet beneath the ice from a distance of one kilometer.

Adults polar bears are great swimmers as they can swim for hours in search of food.

Learn more: Do Polar Bears Have Tails

Polar bear can run at a speed of about 40 kph (25 mph).

Eyes of the Polar Bear are dark brown which are quite close together.

Polar Bear's eyesight is similar to the humans.

Its eyes have a protective membrane that protects them from ultraviolet light.

The Polar Bear has large paws with five toes each. Their diameters are 30 cm (12 inches).

These paws act like snowshoes, carrying bear's weight as it travels over ice and snow.

The Polar Bear has round and partial webbed fore-paws and elongated hind paws.

The sole of Polar Bear's feet have black thick pads which are covered with soft, small dermal bumps scientifically known as "papillae".

These papillae help the Polar Bear in walking without slipping because it produces friction between the foot and ice.

Each toe of the Polar Bear has round, thick and non-retractile claws. These claws are used for grasping prey and for adhesion during climbing and running on ice.

A Polar Bear has 11.4 cm of thick fat which is covered by it's skin.

The polar bear skin color is black in color. It absorbs the heat from sun and keeps the bear warm.

The skin is covered with fur, made up of two layers:1. The outer layer of the fur is clear, having long 'guard' hair. Their length is 5-15 cm.

2. The inner layer is a thick undercoat having shorter hair.

Some of the unusual characteristics of the guard hair are:
1. They are tapered and have a hollow core filled with air.
2. They have light scattering particles inside them.
3. They are made of keratin which is a protein.
4. They also have small salt particles which are present in every hair.

The white fur is a very good insulator and prevents almost any heat loss.

However, the fur is a poor insulator when it becomes wet.

Polar bears have evolved to have black skin.

Black objects don't reflect any light. Hence, they absorb the most heat energy from the sun among all the other colors.

The temperature in countries around the Arctic Circle like Alaska, Russia, Greenland, Norway and Canada is very low. So, sunlight is an important source of energy for Polar Bears in the Arctic Circle.

The black skin of the Polar Bear absorbs the maximum heat from the sunlight to keep the bear warm.

The clear fur covering the skin allows this sunlight to pass through and be absorbed by the skin, but the fur still looks white due to luminescence.

12. Are Polar Bears White - Why do Polar Bears have White Fur

A polar bear's fur has no color. It looks white because of luminescence.

When the sun's rays bounce off the clear "guard hair" and some of the light energy enters the hair and is trapped.

The energy inside the hollow part of the hair bounces around which causes the emission of light, called luminescence.

Polar Bears generally appear white due to luminescence in their colorless fur.

However, the colors of the Polar Bears range from White to Creamy Yellow to Light Brown.

Polar Bears are found mostly in the Arctic climates where it is extremely cold during winters.

They have thick fur which keeps them safe from freezing to death.

The thick fur is a poor conductor of heat, so it minimizes heat loss from the body after trapping air from surroundings.

So, the basic purpose of the thick fur on Polar Bears is to keep them warm.

Among all the bear species polar bear is the biggest bear.

How Tall are Polar Bears - Polar Bear Height

The average height of polar bears when standing on all of its fours legs is 1 to 1.5 meter i.e. 3.5 to 5 feet.

The average height of polar bears when standing on its hind legs is more than 3 meter i.e. 10 feet.

The average length of a polar is around 2.2 to 2.5 meter i.e. 7.25 to 8 feet from head to rump while the tail only adds another 3 to 5 inches.

Learn more: How Tall is a Polar Bear

How Heavy is a Polar Bear - Polar Bear Weight

Adult Female - 150 to 250 kg

Adult Male - More than 800 kg

Learn more: How Much Does A Polar Bear Weigh

The average life span of Polar Bears is:
1. Wild Polar Bear - 15 to 18 years
2. Captive Polar Bear - 20 to 30 years

The oldest that a Polar Bear ever lived was 42 years.

Polar Bears have evolved over time to adapt to their habitat in order to survive.

The adaptations developed by Polar Bears are:
1. Small Ears - Reducing heat loss
2. Small Tail - Reducing heat loss
3. Thick layer of Fat - Insulation and Energy storage
4. Thick fur - Insulation and Camouflage
5. Fur on soles - Better grip and Insulation
6. Large feet - Better load management on ice
7. Sharp Teeth and Claws - Help in Hunting and Eating

The Polar Bear life cycle includes 3 major steps:

Mating (Spring)
1. The Polar Bears start looking for mates as the snow starts to melt.
2. After mating, the eggs don't implant until fall. This phenomenon is calleddelayed implantation.
3. The male takes off on its own after staying with the female for few days.

Denning (Fall & Winter)
1. After feeding in summer, a pregnant female Polar Bear starts looking for a den, where the cubs will be born and nursed till Spring.
2. It builds a den by digging up a snow cave, big enough for he to turn around in. And then waits for the snow to block the entrance to the cave.

Birthing (Winter)
1. The cubs are born in December. One, two or three cubs are born.
2. They stay with their mother in the den. During this time, the mother doesn't eat or drink anything. She nurses her children all the time.

Learn more : Polar Bear Life Cycle

A male Polar Bear becomes capable of breeding at the age of 6 to 10 years.

A female Polar Bear become capable of breeding at the age of 5 to 6 years.

It breeds once every three years.

Its breeding season lasts from late March to mid-July.

After mating, the fertilized egg converts into blastocyst, which floats in the uterus for about four months without any growth.

The growth starts when the blastocyst implants in the uterine wall.

The physical embryo takes four months to develop.

The cubs are born in December due to delayed implantation. This provides time for the female to improve her physical condition, so she can nurse her cubs better.

These cubs are guarded from cold in a den resembling an igloo.

They feed on their mother's milk until late March or April.

The average Polar Bear gestation period is 8 months.

The delayed implantation occurs during this time period.

After mating, the fertilized egg converts into blastocyst, which floats in the uterus for about four months without any growth.

The growth starts after the implantation of blastocyst in the uterine wall.

The physical embryo takes four months to develop.

The cubs are born in December due to delayed implantation. This provides time for the female to improve her physical condition, so she can nurse her cubs better.

After birth, the weight of polar bear cub is about 454 to 680 grams (16-24 oz.). They are approximately 30 cm (12 in.) long.

Females cubs are slightly smaller than males.

Polar Bear cubs are born little and impotent.

Their eyes are closed when they are born.

After birth, their fur is very fine due to which they look hairless.

Polar Bear cubs spend their early childhood days in the den to stay safe and warm. The mother nurses them for 12 to 18 weeks.

The cubs grow quickly in size and weight by feeding on their mother's milk. Within a few months, the newborn cubs are ready to eat food. Their new fur grows in 8 to 10 weeks, but sometimes it takes 14 weeks.

The Polar Bear cubs move out of the den with their mother after 3 or 4 months . Because of their inborn abilities, they quickly learn hunting and survival skills from their mother.

The cubs stay close to "mom" wherever she goes. Once they take their first dip in the ocean, they become acclimated to the water quickly and become good swimmers.

The baby polar bears keenly observe their mother during the hunt and learn all the hunting and survival techniques they will use once they are adults.

Polar Bears don't really hibernate like the brown and black bears.

Female bears hibernate only when they are pregnant.

The pregnant female polar bears dig snow dens when they are about to give birth to their babies.

The female Polar Bears stay readily active inside their dens as they have to nurse their cubs.

They hibernate for three months in these dens and when the cubs are strong enough they come out.

Polar bears are well adapted to swimming.

They can swim throughout the ocean at 10 kph (6 mph) because of their huge webbed paws.

The Polar Bears can usually swim for 160 km (100 miles) continuously.

The Polar Bear is a very strong and courageous mammal.

Its bite force is very large at 1200 pounds per square inch.

It can kill any animal with a single swipe of its paw.

The natural habitat of the Polar Bear is very cold areas.

The areas where it has been spotted in the Northern Hemisphere are:
1. North Pole
2. Ice over the Continental Shelf
3. Archipelagos at the edge of the Polar Basin
4. Arctic Sea Ice
5. Throughout the circumpolar Arctic

The areas where it has been spotted in the Southern Hemisphere are:
1. Southern Labrador
2. Norway
3. Newfoundland
4. Gulf of St. Lawrence (Winter)
5. Bering Sea (Winter)
6. James Bay, Canada (Southern-most)

The Polar Bears' main habitat is on along costs, shore side pack ice, and island of the Arctic region.

Today, over 40 percent of Polar Bears living on pack ice and along shores of the various island of Northern Canada.

There many ice packs in the Arctic Ocean and Sea.

There are many organisms and plankton in the sea which is a rich food source for the Seals.

These Seals live on ice packs and look for food in the sea.

Ultimately, Polar Bears are mostly found near ice packs because they hunt Seals for food.

Polar Bears may stay in the ice packs habitat throughout the year. They prefer the sea ice over all other places.

Sea ice is very important to polar bears. It acts as a platform for them to live, breed, hunt and create maternal dens.

The sea ice is declining at a rate of 4.6% per decade which is threatening a food source for the Polar Bears.

At the southern end, some Polar Bears spend 5 to 6 months on land with no Seals to eat.

This shortage of food has forced the Polar Bears to look for other food sources like:
1. Garbage dumps
2. Human food storage
3. Sled dog yards

However, they are also threatening human life by moving to human communities.

29. What do Polar Bears eat - Polar Bear Diet

Polar Bears are the largest land carnivores in the world.

They feed on:
1. Ringed Seals
2. Bearded Seals
3. Walrus
4. Beluga Whale carcass
5. Bowhead Whale carcass
6. Birds' eggs
7. Vegetation (rare)

They travel very long distances in search of prey.

The fresh water reserves in the Arctic Region are frozen and a Polar Bear can't drink seawater due to health problems it will cause.

It has evolved so it doesn't need to drink water at all.

It gets water from the chemical reactions that break down its body fat.

This is why most of the diet of a Polar Bear comprises of fats.

A Polar Bear exclusively hunts Seals.

It waits for the Seal to come to water surface to breathe.

When the Seal comes to the surface, it attacks the Seal by biting and brings it to land before eating.

Sometimes, when prey isn't available, the Polar Bear eats whale carcasses.

The only predators a Polar Bear has are other Polar Bears and humans.

However, Polar Bear cubs are likely to fall prey to wolves or other carnivores.

Sometimes, newborn cubs are eaten by their mothers or other Polar Bears. This phenomenon is called Cannibalization.

Learn more: What Eats Polar Bear

Polar Bears are currently marked as Vulnerable and their number is decreasing continuously.

The total number of Polar Bears left in the world is 20,000 to 25,000.

Yes Polar Bears are dangerous animals.

They are naturally hunters, as they get their food by hunting Seals and Walruses.

They have been reported to attack humans too.

In 2011, a boy was killed and some other people were injured in Norway.

In the past 20 years, six people have been killed by Polar Bears in Canada.

35. International Polar Bear Day

The Interational Polar Bear day is celebrated on February 27th of every year.

36. Polar Bear Facts for Kids Video

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Polar Bear Facts for Kids - Learn All About Polar Bears - Kidz Feed

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The complete Polar Bear Facts for Kids that will help you learn all about the polar bears. Learn all about polar bears, its scientific classification, physical characteristics, species, eyes, paws, size, weight, height, lifespan, fur, skin color, hibernation, adaptations, life cycle, appearance, habitat, diet, reproduction.

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Ursus maritimus...that's the Latin name of the , the world's largest terrestrial who inhabits the far northern regions of Greenland, Norway, Siberia, and Canada.

Its name means " ," which is quite appropriate since bears spend most of their lives in, on or around water - mainly on the of the Arctic Circle.

bears are among the largest land mammals on Earth. Male bears can weigh 700 to 1,400 pounds and stand 8 to 10 feet tall.

While bears are excellent swimmers, they prefer to stay on top of the that covers the Arctic most of the year.

Why do they spend so much time on the frigid Arctic ? The Arctic waters and floes are where their favorite food - seals - can be found.

bears will also occasionally eat other animals, including walruses and dead whales, but seals are by far their favorite food. Seals can be tricky to catch, though, so bears must hunt with great and . Fortunately, their white coloring helps them blend in with their icy surroundings.

So how did bears that live in a snowy-white world come to have white fur? Believe it or not, their hair isn't actually white!

Their long outer hairs, which protect their soft, thick undercoat, are mostly and transparent . The thinner hairs of their undercoat are also colorless.

hair looks white because the air spaces in the hairs scatter light of all colors. When something reflects all of the visible wavelengths of light, we see the color white.

Some scientists believe the was once a close relative to the brown . They think that, over time, bears moved to the Arctic, where they adapted to their surroundings by developing fur that would help them blend in with the harsh, white Arctic .

Not all bears look white, though. If you've ever seen a in a zoo, you may have noticed that its fur can appear almost green.

Scientists discovered that from the pond waters in the bears' enclosures made the bears turn green. They learned these were found not on the surface of the hairs but inside the hairs!

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Ursus maritimus...that's the Latin name of the , the world's largest terrestrial who inhabits the far northern regions of Greenland, Norway, Siberia, and Canada. Its name means " ," which is quite appropriate since bears spend most of their lives in, on or around water - mainly on the of the Arctic Circle.

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9 amazing facts about polar bears | Discover Wildlife

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Discover fascinating facts about polar bears.

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Start studying Polar Bears. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.

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Polar Bears facts from the San Diego Zoo

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Polar Bears facts from the San Diego Zoo

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Take a plunge into the wonderful world of these Arctic ambassadors...

1. Polar bears are the largest and longest species of bear. Males can measure up to 10 feet (3 meters) when standing on their hind legs.

2. Scientists believe that the polar bear evolved from a common brown bear ancestor about 200,000 years ago.

3. Even though they look white, a polar bear's fur is made of clear, hollow tubes filled with air.

4. Polar bears clean themselves by rolling in the snow.

5. They also cool off by rolling in the snow or taking a dip in chilly waters.

6. A group of polar bears is sometimes called a pack or sleuth.

7. Unlike their brown and black counterparts, polar bears do not hibernate.

8. Polar bears are found in countries that ring the Arctic Circle-Canada, the US, Greenland, Russia, and Norway.

9. Polar bears have no natural enemies.

10. They can swim at speeds of up to 6 miles per hour (8 knots). In fact, their taxonomic name means "sea bear."

11. Polar bears have been known to swim more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) without rest in search for food. Unfortunately, that distance is increasing due to climate change.

12. Their nose is so powerful it can smell a seal on the ice 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, sniff out a seal's den that has been covered with snow, and even find a seal's air hole up to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) away.

13. When they aren't hunting, polar bears are resting up to 20 hours a day.

14. Because their habitat vanishes for a few months every year, polar bears have evolved one of the longest fasting periods of any animal.

15. Polar bears typically kill and eat prey every four to five days.

16. A polar bear's fat acts as a nutritional reserve and energy storage system when food can't be found. It also increases their buoyancy when they swim.

17. They have built-in socks. Stiff fur on the sole of each foot keeps the polar bear from slipping on ice, and also muffles the sound of the bear's approach when sneaking up on a meal.

18. Except for females with cubs, polar bears are solitary.

19. Polar bear pregnancies are triggered by a female's body condition and environmental factors, most often between September and November.

20. This process, known as delayed implantation, is an adaption that ensures polar bear cubs will be born to healthy mothers at a time when their chances for survival are greatest.

21. Polar bear cubs weigh a mere 1 pound (.45 kilograms) at birth. They are hairless and have their eyes closed, depending on their mother to keep them warm and fed.
Do you have any polar bear facts to add to this list? Share yours in the comments below. Jenn Beening is the social media planner for San Diego Zoo Global. Read her previous post, 11 Animals That Feast Together.

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Take a plunge into the wonderful world of these Arctic ambassadors... 1. Polar bears are the largest and longest species of bear. Males can measure up to 10 feet (3 meters) when standing on their hind legs. 2. Scientists believe that the polar bear evolved from a... #bears #junglebells #polarbears