Polar Bear Information

Basic Polar Bear information is very close to the information on other bear species. All bears belong to the order Carnivora, family Ursidae. There are 5 genera of bears: Ursus, Tremarctos, Melursus, Helarctos, and Ailuropoda. All bears are large and well-muscled. Their body is massive, the eyes are small, the ears are rounded, the paws are plantigrade, and the tail is short. Most bears have long and dense coat to protect them from cold.

When looking for interesting Polar Bear information, keep in mind that it is classified as Ursus maritimus. It’s considered to be the largest in the bear family and the largest land carnivore, though some Kodiak bears - a subspecies of the Grizzly - can be larger. Adult male Polar Bear are about 2.5 to 3 meters long and up to 800 kg in weight. The largest Polar Bear male recorded was 3.7 m in body length and 1,002 kg in weight. Females are two or three times smaller than males. They weigh between 150 and 250 kg and have a body length up to 2.5 meters.

Most Polar Bear information sheets are comprised of basic facts on the species’ ecology, habitat, lifestyle, reproduction, and diet. Together with the description of the Polar Bear, you’ll see pictures of these animals. Polar Bears have a long wedge-shaped body and a long slender neck which makes it different from other bear species. The coat color of the Polar Bear can vary from pure white to light brown. Actually, each hair of the Polar Bear is transparent and hollow, which creates a white or creamy look depending on the angle of light. The skin of these bears is black to accumulate solar radiation.

The Polar Bear has many adaptations to its living conditions. These animals are the best swimmers among other bears. They are able to swim for many hours in cold water when hunting. The paws of the Polar Bear are flat and wide; these creatures have a thick layer of fat that keeps the body warm and helps in swimming. The Polar Bear easily shakes the fur free of water and ice after swimming, because of oil that covers the coat. In fact, Polar Bear information is difficult to obtain, because it’s difficult to study these bears in their natural habitats.