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The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb).
Jun 17, 2024 · The polar bear is the largest and most powerful carnivore on land, a title it shares with a subspecies of brown bear called the Kodiak bear. It has no natural predators and knows no fear of humans, making it an extremely dangerous animal.
At the top of the food chain, polar bears have an important role in the marine environment. Learn how WWF is fighting the biggest threat to polar bears’ survival: loss of sea ice.
1. Polar bears are classified as marine mammals. Because they spend most of their lives on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean depending on the ocean for their food and habitat, polar bears are the only bear species to be considered marine mammals. © Jon Aars / Norwegian Polar Institute / WWF-Canon.
Polar bear conservation. Map from the U.S. Geological Survey shows projected changes in polar bear habitat from 2001 to 2010 and 2041 to 2050. Red areas indicate loss of optimal polar bear habitat; blue areas indicate gain. Polar bear population sizes and trends are difficult to estimate accurately because they occupy remote home ranges and ...
Majestic creature of the far north, the polar bear is the world's largest terrestrial carnivore. Its Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means 'sea bear': an apt name for this amazing species which spends much of its life in, around, or on the water - predominantly on the sea ice.
How do polar bears survive their Arctic habitat? Is climate change affecting their population? Learn how polar bears have adapted to life on top of the world.
Polar bears are the planet’s biggest land-based carnivores – although they actually spend most of their lives around water and ice (their Latin name means ‘sea bear’). So they’re at particular risk from global warming, which is melting the Arctic sea ice they depend on.
Their scientific name means ‘sea bear’. Polar bears are the planet’s biggest land-based carnivores – although they spend most of their lives around water and ice. Habitat. Polar bear populations live on the annual Arctic sea ice in northern Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia.
The largest bear in the world and the Arctic’s top predator, polar bears are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. At least two thirds of the world’s polar bears live on Canadian territory, giving Canadians a special relationship with — and responsibility for — these bears.
