Ursidae Atlas

Ursidae · Ursinae

Polar Bear

Ursus maritimus

A marine mammal that hunts from sea ice.

Polar bears split from brown bears and specialized on seals. They are classed as marine mammals because their hunting grounds are the sea-ice platform.

Vulnerable — sea-ice loss is the primary long-term threat North AmericaEuropeAsia
Polar Bear
Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons · source
1200Typical male, lb
500Typical female, lb
8–10 ftStanding height
About 25 years.Wild lifespan

Range

Where they live

Circumpolar Arctic. In the U.S., only Alaska — Chukchi Sea and Southern Beaufort subpopulations.

Alaska North SlopeCanadian ArcticGreenlandSvalbardRussian Arctic

Habitat

What they use

  • Pack ice
  • Fast ice
  • Coastal denning habitat
  • Arctic islands

Figure — diet mix

What fills the year

Seals
85%
Carrion
12%
Other
3%
  • Ringed seals
  • Bearded seals
  • Whale carcasses

Conservation

Vulnerable

  • Chukchi Sea ~3,000 and Southern Beaufort ~900.
  • Black skin under white fur helps absorb heat.

Pressures

Loss of sea iceIndustrial disturbancePollution

Map

Range sketch and cameras

Filled shapes are schematic core-range sketches for reading the atlas, not official occupancy layers.

Field notes

Worth remembering

  • Paws are partially webbed.
  • Cubs are born in winter dens weighing a little more than a pound.