About Polar Bears

There were only 10,000 or so polar bears in the entire world as late as 1968. Government regulations throughout their range has increased that number to well over 25,000. Cousins to the black bears and the grizzlies well south of them, the polar bear is the king of the Arctic region.

Size

Polar bears are the largest land carnivore in the world, with males growing to a weight of more than 1,400 lbs. in some cases, with the average male being around 850 lbs. Females are much lighter than the males, with an average girl weighing around 400 lbs. Pregnant females are capable of weighing half a ton. The polar bear can reach a length of ten feet in extreme cases. The largest polar bear by weight ever recorded was a 12-foot-long male that tipped the scales at over 2,200 lbs.

Features

The necks of polar bears are longer and thinner than those of other bears. The coat can be white to a creamy yellowish hue, or even a brownish color in certain seasons. Polar bears have 5 toes and huge paws, making them excellent swimmers.
They can swim underwater for great lengths and have ears that lay down flat when they are submerged. The feet have a special sole that provides traction on the icy terrain, and have large claws that can't be retracted. Polar bears have 42 teeth with which they tear pieces of blubber off their prey and swallow whole. Their coat can be 2 inches thick.

Time Frame

In captivity, the oldest known polar bear lived for 41 years, but the average life span of one in the Arctic is much shorter than that. Polar bears have been known to survive for almost 30 years in the wild, but most do not live past the age of 18 years. They have been hunted for more than 3,000 years, according to evidence found in archeological ruins. The polar bear was extensively hunted beginning in the 1500s, and with the use of such modes of transportation as snowmobiles and airplanes, in the 1950s they were in danger of extinction.

Geography

While polar bear tracks have been observed as far north as the actual North Pole, most live well south of that area. The polar bear resides on Arctic sea ice, islands and the coastlines of continents in the far northern latitudes all around the circumpolar regions. They travel to various places within their own home range during the course of the year. They have been observed going up to almost 20 miles in a single day throughout their territory. They are dependent on the seal population, as that is their main food source. Females will spend a majority of time on land in a den only when they are pregnant.

Misconceptions

Despite what people think, there are no polar bears at the South Pole. although they have white fur, their skin is actually black, the better to absorb the heat of the sun's rays in the cold climates that they live in. Polar bear attacks on people usually occur when humans encounter a mother with cubs, but the polar bear is not shy about considering man as a source of nourishment.