Polar Bear Facts

Category: Characteristics

  • Polar Bear vs Tiger – Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear

    Polar Bear vs Tiger – Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear

    Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and tigers (Panthera tigris) are the apex predators—they stand at the top of their food chain. Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and polar bear are the most powerful land carnivores in the world. Adult Siberian tigers weigh as much as 500 lbs while the biggest of the polar bears recorded at 1,500 lbs max. White bears and Siberian tigers share the same habitat so they are most likely to encounter each other in the wild. In this article we’re going to compare the Arctic bear with the Siberian cat as well as the Bengal tiger.

    Polar Bear vs Tiger – Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear Size, Weight, Strength, Fight Comparison

    Polar Bear vs Tiger Comparison Chart

    Features

    POLAR BEAR

    		 TIGER
    Size 7 ft 10 in to 9 ft 10 in 8.2 to 12.8 feet
    Weight 772 to 1,543 lb 143 to 368 lb
    Skull 10.6 to 12.5 inches
    Shoulder Height 122 to 160 cm 2.3 to 4.0 feet
    Color White Golden orange
    Habitat Arctic sea ice Dense vegetation
    Primary Diet Seals Deer
    Land Speed 25 mph 30 – 40 mph
    Swimming Speed 10 km/h (6 mph) 4 – 6 mph
    Swimming Distance 90 to 100 km 18 miles
    Predators & Competitors No predator Hyenas, leopards, dholes, pythons, bears, crocodiles
    Baby Name Cubs Cubs
    Gestation Period 195 – 265 days 93 to 112 days
    Cubs’ Weight  0.9 kg (2.0 lb) 680 to 1,400 grams
    Litter Size 1 – 2 cubs 1 – 6 cubs
    Lifespan max. 42 years 26 years

    polar bear vs tigerPolar Bear vs Tiger Size Comparison

    Polar Bear Profile – Size & Weight

    • Adult male bears measure around 7 ft 10 in–9 ft 10 in in an overall length.
    • Males weigh as much as 772–1,543 lb. Males are twice the size of a female.
    • The female reaches the length of 5 ft 11 in–7 ft 10 in with the weight estimated at 331–551 lb. The pregnant female however weighs up to 1,100 lb.
    • Polar bears have 8 – 5.1 inches long tail.
    • The heaviest polar bear ever recorded at 1,002 kg (2,209 lb). It was shot in the northwestern Alaska in 1960.

    Siberian Tiger Profile – Size & Weight

    • Male Siberian tigers reach the total length of 195 cm (77 in) or 6.4 feet with the weight averaging up to 450 to 675 lb. Reports suggest that there are much bigger than Siberian cats living out there in the wild. Perhaps understandably, captive specimens are heavier than the wild tigers.
    • The female tiger has a head-body length of 167 to 182 cm (66 to 72 in). They weigh up to 118 kg (260 lb).
    • Siberian tigers have 99 cm (39 inches) long tail which is seven to eight times the size of a polar bear tail.
    • The heaviest Siberian tiger recorded at 847 lb with the length of about 11.5 feet.

    ⅏⅏⅏⅏

    Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear Description

    Siberian Tiger Profile – What Does a Siberian Tiger Look Like

    • Siberian tiger has thick fur one that is good enough to protect the tiger from extreme cold.
    • The coat is pale orange in color. Unlike polar bear’s coat, the tiger’s coat is recognized by its dark stripes all over the coat which is typical of a tiger.
    • The length of the coat is measured at 40–50 mm (1.6–2.0 in).
    • Siberian cats have 90–115 mm (3.5–4.5 in) long whiskers.

    Polar Bear Profile – What Does a Polar Bear Look Like

    • Like Siberian tiger, the polar bear is also protected by thick fur which is an adaptation to living in the Arctic.
    • The bear’s coat is all white but it yellows with age.
    • The length of the guard hair is about 5–15 cm (2–6 in).

    ⅏⅏⅏⅏⅏

    Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear Adaptations

    Siberian Tiger Profile – Adaptations

    • Siberian tigers are strong swimmers. However, unlike polar bears the Siberian tiger will swim in rivers, lakes, and ponds.
    • Tigers can swim 18 miles (29 km) each day.
    • They can also carry prey into the water.
    • Unlike polar bears, Siberian cats do not possess acute sense of smell.
    • They are protected by thick coat.
    • Tigers can jump up to 12 feet high vertically.
    • Siberian tigers have retractable claws.

    Polar Bear Profile – Adaptations

    • Polar bears are probably the strongest swimmers of all land mammals. They are sometimes referred as marine animals.
    • They can swim hundreds of miles in a single journey.
    • Arctic bears have an excellent sense of smell.
    • They can reach a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph) in swimming.
    • The maximum running speed of a polar bear is about 40 km/h (25 mph).
    • Polar bears probably cannot jump like tigers do.
    • Unlike Amur tigers, polar bears have non-retractable claws so they are most likely to get injured.

    ⅏⅏⅏⅏⅏

    Siberian Tiger vs Polar Bear Habitat & Diet

    Siberian Tiger Profile – Habitat & Diet

    • They are known to make habitats in Korean pine broadleaf forests and northern boreal complex.
    • Asian subspecies fancy living in dense tropical habitats particularly those that are abundant in vegetation and water.
    • They are found in Southeast and Central Asia.
    • Siberian tigers prey on deer, ungulates, and other medium sized mammals.

    Polar Bear Profile – Habitat & Diet

    • The primary habitat of a polar bear is sea ice and water.
    • Polar bears are found in the Northern Hemisphere—Arctic.
    • They will actively hunt seals.

    Polar Bear vs Tiger – Polar Bear Fight – video

  • How Many Claws Does a Polar Bear have? Number of Claws

    How Many Claws Does a Polar Bear have? Number of Claws

    Like all bears, the polar bear has five pointed horny nails on each digit of its foot. The polar bear claws aren’t only shorter than their grizzly cousins, they are slightly curved too. (See in detail: Polar Bear Claws). In this article, however we going to discuss the number of claws a polar bear have and compare it with other bears.

    How Many Claws Does a Polar Bear have?

    Simply put; polar bears have five claws. These are all non-retractable. Many other land carnivores in particular big cats have retractable claws in that they show their claws only when they are hunting. Polar bears are unable to do so. Therefore, bear’s claws are thought to be more vulnerable to injuries in comparison to tigers or lions.

    how many claws does a polar bear have
    A big polar bear claw. How many claws does a polar bear have?

    The grizzly bear’s claws are not only longer—they are also straighter as compared to polar bear claws. Grizzly bears probably use their long straight claws in excavating insect-filled logs or dig up roots. Unlike polar bears, grizzlies rarely use their claws in snagging fleeing prey.

    Polar bears do not use their sharp claws in climbing nor do they use them in digging. American black bears, the smallest of the bears, have probably the shortest of the claws. Black bears use their curved claws in climbing trees. They are excellent climbers.

  • Is a Polar Bear Bigger than a Grizzly Bear? – Polar Bear Grizzly Bear

    Is a Polar Bear Bigger than a Grizzly Bear? – Polar Bear Grizzly Bear

    Grizzlies are close cousins of polar bears. Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are believed to have evolved from grizzly bears (Ursus arctos ssp.) they do not appear to share many physical characteristics or features. However differences exist between the two species the size comparison is worth noting. Most people often wonder is a polar bear bigger than a grizzly bear. It’s an interesting question because grizzlies and white bears are nearly of the same size and weight. Let’s see which of the bear is bigger in size; polar bear or a grizzly bear.

    Is a Polar Bear Bigger than a Grizzly Bear?

    Which Bear is Heavier?

    Male Polar Bear vs Male Grizzly Bear

    • Adult male polar bears weigh somewhere in between 350 and 700 kg (772 and 1,543 lb) whereas adult male grizzlies average 180–360 kg (400–790 lb).
    • The above comparison between the males of two species clearly indicates that polar bears are heavier. More so, white bears seem to be twice the weight of adult grizzlies. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that male polar bears are bigger than male grizzly bears.

    Female Polar Bear vs Female Grizzly Bear

    • In grizzly bears, the adult females weigh around 130–180 kg (290–400 lb) while female polar bears average 150–250 kg (331–551 lb).
    • There seems to be no significant difference in the weight of grizzly female and polar bear female. However, still female polar bears are slightly bigger than grizzly females—only 100 pounds heavier approximately.
    • Thus in this case too, female polar bears are found bigger than female grizzly bears but the difference isn’t that big as in males.

    Read More: Polar Bear vs Grizzly Bear

    Which Bear is Greater in Size?

    Male Polar Bear vs Male Grizzly

    • In polar bears, males measure about 4–3 meters (7 feet 10 inches – 9 feet 10 inches) in an overall body length.
    • The average body length of a grizzly male is about 198 cm (6.50 feet) probably two to three feet shorter than the Arctic bear.
    • The shoulder height in male polar bears is estimated at 133 cm (4 feet 4 inches). Grizzly bears have a shoulder height of 102 cm (3.35 feet).

    Female Polar Bear vs Female Grizzly Bear

    • Adult female polar bears measure around 8–2.4 meters (5 feet 11 inches –7 feet 10 inches).
    • The body length of grizzly female is about 4 to 5 feet.

    [table id=7 /]

     

  • How often Do Polar Bears have Cubs? – Polar Bear Giving Birth

    How often Do Polar Bears have Cubs? – Polar Bear Giving Birth

    In this article we are going to discuss about polar bear giving birth to its cubs as well as the bear’s birth interval.

    How often Do Polar Bears have Cubs?

    Studies indicate that most females wean their cubs after two and a half years, which suggests that they can afford to mate once every three years. According to scientists, the female bears inhabiting Beaufort Sea are thought to mature earlier than those living in other areas. The weaning time and the birth interval of Beaufort Sea population is the same.

    In 1990s

    In rare instances, scientists have also observed female polar bears keeping their babies for as long as three and a half years. In the 1990s, a few individuals reported to wean after three and a half years in the Viscount Melville Sound. Even so, another female reported to have her cubs around her for up to four and a half years. According to Ian Stirling the likely reason could be that bears were probably living in less productive habitats where multiyear sea ice didn’t occur as much. Plus, the ringed seals weren’t abundant in the Viscount Melville Sound. As it turns out, a less accessible food might have probably slowed the growth rate of polar bear cubs, resulting in a delay in the age at weaning.

    Another explanation for the delay in weaning (in 1990s) could be due to overharvesting in adult males. The adult males could have been less frequent which would drive away the cubs from their mother. However, Viscount Melville Sound isn’t protected by multiyear sea ice anymore perhaps due to climate change therefore; polar bears can afford to hunt ringed seals.

    In 1980s

    If we go back to the 1980s we observe 40% of all polar bear females could successfully wean their cubs at only one and a half years of age in the western coast of Hudson Bay. As it turned out, nearly all females would breed every two years which may have allowed them to produce 30% more litters in their entire lives.

    Nonetheless, when scientists compared the mortality rate in yearlings that were weaned right on time against those which took additional time, they found interestingly no major difference. Both had lived more than their average lifespans. They also observed that the survival rate of one-year-old cubs in the Hudson Bay was probably the same as that of two-year-old cubs inhabiting rest of the Arctic.

    Why the Hudson Bay Females are more Productive than others

    1. Studies indicate that some of the females in the western coast of Hudson Bay have successfully raised their cubs so that the yearlings hunt on their own. The reason behind is that the snowdrifts in the Hudson Bay melts relatively earlier, and as it softens, the yearlings which are probably not too heavy to break the ice, can hunt ringed seals at their breathing holes.
    2. Another reason as to why Hudson Bay females produce more frequently than others is that the Hudson Bay itself is biologically productive. The rivers that end up with the Hudson are thought to bring many nutrients which indeed attracts large seal population. Since they are the primary food of arctic bears, the bears of all ages might have less difficulty catching food.
    3. Studies have also shown that the Hudson Bay is home to a large number of bearded seals. The bearded seal is nearly five times the size of a ringed seal. The larger food source means larger carrion remaining on the sea ice. Yearlings often find it hard to hunt and so they mostly rely on left-over carrion. They are going to eat seals by scavenging the kills until they are big enough to hunt on their own

  • Polar Bear Cubs Facts – Interesting Facts about Baby Polar Bears

    We have gathered some of the most amazing and unbelievable polar bear cubs facts which you probably don’t know. Just to let you know that all these facts about baby polar bears are real. Although polar bears are one of the largest land carnivores in the world yet baby polar bears are only the size of a ground squirrel when they are born. However they will grow pretty fast in the first couple of months. Let’s take a look at the baby polar bear facts.

    Polar Bear Cubs Facts

    Polar Bear Cubs have Fluffy Furs

    The cubs are well protected with fluffy white fur even when they are only weeks old. While polar bear cubs can survive the frigid arctic weather they are most likely suffer from hypothermia if they get wet. Therefore, mother bear doesn’t encourage her cubs to swim longer distances.

    Polar Bear Cubs can Climb Trees

    Believe it or not, baby polar bears can climb trees. Although there are very few trees in the Arctic but when a polar bear family gets close to the trees, the cubs often climb up the trees during playing. Adult male or a female bear cannot climb for they are too heavy to lift their weight.

    Polar Bear Cubs Mimic their Mother

    Baby polar bears are often seen mimicking their mother, it’s like monkey see monkey do. They will try to drink water, eat food, or stretch in a way their mothers do. The cub’s mimicking habits probably makes easy for their mother to teach them hunting techniques.

    Polar Bear Cubs are Curious

    Baby polar bears are highly curious especially in the first six months. They will wander far from mom and each day they likely bring about a bit more independence. However, cubs rarely go too far from their den and also their mother mostly keeps a close eye on them.

    Polar Bear Cubs’ Weight

    The average weight of captive polar bear cubs is somewhere in between 570 grams and 750 grams (1.2 to 1.6 lbs) at birth. In the wild habitat, they often hardly weigh more than a pound at birth. However, they will attain 7.7 pounds in just 30 days after birth.

    Polar Bear Cubs Stay Inside the Den

    They will stay inside the den for as long as 60 days after birth. While maternity den the polar bear cubs not only stay safe from predators, they also get warm. Once they reach 2-months age, they will leave the den. By the time baby polar bears leave their dens, they weigh 10 – 15 kg (22 – 33 pounds).

    Polar Bear Cubs are Born Blind

    Baby polar bears are completely helpless and they are blind at birth. They are highly vulnerable to potential predators at this stage. Arctic foxes usually hunt baby polar bears inside the den.

  • What Do Polar Bears Look Like? – Polar Bear Description

    What Do Polar Bears Look Like? – Polar Bear Description

    Polar bears look like a white mammoth-sized animal that navigates through the Arctic sea ice whilst camouflaging into the Arctic snowy background. Polar bears are remarkable species and quite many aspects of white bears justify a detailed description perhaps rightfully. Andrew Derocher, a leading polar bear researcher, says that if you’re searching a polar bear in the Arctic look for the yellowish white object, preferably one that is moving. In this article we are going to discuss what do polar bears look like in the wild habitat.

    What Do Polar Bears Look Like Facts

    Polar Bears have White Fur

    Main Article: Polar Bear Fur

    • Polar bear fur isn’t actually white. It is pale yellow in color which is precisely due to lack of a pigment. If you take a fur snippet you’ll notice that it appears like glistening glass fibers. That means that the polar bear fur aren’t white at all, they just look like one.
    • Polar bear furs are transparent. They reflect light. Thus, if you observe a polar bear during sunset it’ll probably look orange-red in appearance rather than white.
    what do polar bears look like
    Polar Bear sharp Claws

    Size & Weight

    Main Article: Polar Bear Weight

    • Polar bear is a big bear by any standards. The weight of an adult male is estimated at 1760 lbs (800 kg). They grow up to a length of 8.3 feet (253 cm).
    • Female polar bear weighs over 990 lbs (450 kg) and it averages up to 7 feet (214 cm) in the overall length.
    • According to polar bear hunters, there are 10 to 12-foot bears inhabiting the wild but they are not really confirmed.
    • The largest polar bear has the shoulder height of about 133 cm (4 ft 4 in). The evidence suggests that the biggest polar bear weighs over 2,200 pounds.

    Do they have Tail?

    Main Article: Do Polar Bears have Tails?

    • Yes, polar bears have tail but it is probably not as noticeable as bear’s other parts. The bear tail measures around 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) in length.
    • Scientists do not know however what function does polar bear’s tail serve apart from keeping the bear’s rear warm.
    • Andrew Derocher claims that he has seen quite many polar bears that have long tails.
    • When the bear defecates, the tail opens up just like a trap door.

    Legs, Feet, Claws & Paws

    Main Article: How Long are Polar Bear Claws?

    • Polar bears have short sturdy legs which are all covered with dense fur.
    • They have unusually wide paws. Bear’s furs are also found underneath its paws to protect her from cold during long walks. The pads of the paws provide polar bears with traction and grip on the ice.
    • The 30-cm-wide feet distribute the polar bear weight over the sea ice.

    What Do Polar Bears Look Like? – Video

  • How Long Do Polar Bears Sleep? – Polar Bear Sleeping Habits

    Do you know how long do polar bears sleep in a 24-hour day? Well, you will not believe that polar bears sleep as much as we do. Scientists have lately collected polar bear sleeping data and they concluded that the average length of time polar bear spends in sleeping is estimated at just over 7 hours each day. Now let us study in detail about the sleeping pattern of a polar bear.

    How Long Do Polar Bears Sleep?

    Although polar bear generally spends a quarter of their daily time sleeping they have different sleep sessions.

    They will continuously sleep for up to an hour.

    The average length of time is estimated at 7 hours and 45 minutes which probably matches our sleeping time.

    During summer, polar bears usually sleep more during the day as compared to night. But the overall sleeping time in 24-hour daylight remains the same.

    Polar bears can also become active at night because sometimes seals come to the ice floes. Ringed seals are thought to emerge at night to feed on their prey. It indeed increases the polar bear’s chances of catching a seal for the latter shows up in a breathing hole.

    See also: Where Do Polar Bears Sleep?

    how long do polar bears sleep?
    Polar bear sleeping in a shallow ice pit. The bear will be covered with snow during windy hours. How long do polar bears sleep?

    When Do Polar Bears Sleep?

    • Polar bears usually fall sleep 60 to 100 minutes after the feast.
    • They become little lethargic (just like we do) after the meal.

     Polar Bears also Sleep in Shelter Dens

    • Unlike maternity dens, shelter dens are not really permanent. Polar bears use shelter dens for specific purposes. They will never raise their cubs in a shelter den or pit. Polar bears build shelter dens not only on the sea ice, but also on land.
    • During summer, the polar bear will use shelter dens to sleep while waiting for the sea ice to return in winter.
    • In winter, polar bears are thought to use shelter dens quite regularly. They may stay in these less-developed dens for as long 1 to 4 months in winter.

    How Long Do Polar Bears Sleep? – Video

  • Where Do Polar Bears Sleep? – Polar Bear Sleeping Location

    During summer, polar bears will spend as much as 7 to 8 hours a day sleeping. But it’s pretty hard to observe polar bear sleeping because the bear also sleeps when it sits in a still-hunting style. So, it’s not really straightforward to catch a moment when a bear wakes up or when it sleeps using a telescope. Many researchers however agree that most, if not all, polar bears spend one-third of their daily time sleeping. Let’s see where do polar bears sleep in the tundra.

    Where Do Polar Bears Sleep?

    Polar bear can sleep anytime of the day. When they are bit lethargic and they need a nap, polar bears will dig a shallow pit in the snow that mostly occurs on the lee side of the pressure ridge and lie down. The pits are also dug on the grave as well as on sand.

    During extreme windy hours, the bear is going to be covered with a blowing snow because it likely stays in its sleeping posture for several hours.

    They don’t always dig a pit to sleep. Sometimes, polar bears can sleep on an open sea ice or flat surface. On a flat surface, the polar bear will lie on its stomach. However in the Hudson Bay, polar bears are thought to sleep in pits which they dig into gravel ridges or sand.

    Many polar bears inhabiting Svalbard and Radstock Bay likely sleeps on snowy hillsides. The female bear along with her offspring will not only climb up to 100 meters to get to the snow slopes—they will also dig a sleeping pit to lie down.

    Most polar bears let alone female bears fancy choosing hillsides to sleep for they can have a better view of the area. They can also see any approaching adult male that can kill her cub. The mother bear one that moves with her cubs often prefers to sleep in high areas because by doing so it reduces the probability of killing her cub by a dominant male.

    Read More: How Long Do Polar Bears Sleep?

    where do polar bears sleep?
    Polar bears spend one-third of their 24-day time sleeping. In summer they will sleep more during the day than in winter. Where do polar bears sleep?

    There are two types of pits they dig on the ground; one is dug on the beach ridges alone the coast while the other occurs near the edges of inland lakes. Polar bears will dig pits in areas where wind blows quite frequently. The reason behind is that the wind not only cools the bear, it also takes off the insects living inside the pits.

    Pits are probably the resting place for polar bears.

    The diameter of the polar bear pits is measured at 5 feet (1.5 meters) with the depth reaching at 1.5 feet (0.5 m).

    Andrew Derocher, a polar bear researcher, calls pits as ‘polar bear armchairs—they function as a comfortable place to sit or lie.

    Polar bears are more likely to feel comfortable in pits as compared to the flat surface. Pits also provide them cooling.

    While most of the times pits are well dug, sometimes however it’s no more than a surface scrape. On a high snowy surface, the pits are (sometimes) dug so deep that they look like the surface of a golf ball right from the air.

    Read More: Do Polar Bears Hibernate?

    Where Do Polar Bears Sleep? – Video

  • How Many Babies Can a Polar Bear Have? – Polar Bear Litter Size

    Do you have any idea how many babies do polar bears have at a time? In this article, we’ll try to explain just about anything on the reproductive biology of polar bears. The polar bear litter size generally depends on quite many things which is why each polar bear population has its own litter size. Twins are common throughout much of the polar bear range. Triplets are extremely rare.

    How Many Babies Can a Polar Bear have?

    Ian Stirling, a leading polar bear scientist, suggests that more than two-thirds of the litters consist of twins. It’s fairly common for a female polar bear to produce two cubs at time. While twins are almost the norm, about 20% to 30% of the polar bear’s reproduction produces a single cub.

    Scientists have rarely observed triplets because the litter size generally depends not only on the time frame—it also rests on the geographic distribution. In 1908s, Ian Stirling had examined 119 litter sizes in the Western Hudson Bay out of which 20% mainly consisted of twins; only 12% were triplets, and he witnessed a single case of four cubs.

    When scientists examined the litter sizes in the Canadian High Arctic, Svalbard, Beaufort Sea, and the Baffin Island, they observed that only 1 to 3% of all litters were triplets.

    However, when scientists examined the litter sizes in the Canadian High Arctic, Svalbard, Beaufort Sea, and the Baffin Island, they observed that only 1 to 3% of all litters were triplets. The litter sizes in these areas were four times lesser than the one observed in the Hudson Bay.

    Over the past 15 years, the triplets have become less frequent as they were in 1980s. They are still recorded nevertheless.

    Read More: Polar Bear Cub

    how many babies do polar bears have?
    A mother polar bear with her twins. How many babies can a polar bear have?. Photo by Arctic Mission

    What are the Factors that Determine the Polar Bear Litter Size?

    It’s a pretty tough ask to measure the polar bear litter sizes because scientists mostly count when polar bear cubs emerge from the dens. They just can’t find out how many cubs are unable to make it outside the den before they are weaned. Scientists do however aware that the litter size might be greater than they initially anticipated since a few cubs likely die of natural causes inside the den.

    Read More: How Do Polar Bears Reproduce?

    The average number of polar bear babies in the spring season ranges from 1.5 to 1.9 depending on the location. Andrew Derocher, a leading polar bear researcher, claims that there seems to be no real relation between the litter sizes and latitude. It is quite possible that different litter sizes are observed in different time periods. Therefore, it is logical to assume that the litter sizes primarily depend on the availability of food as well as other environmental conditions instead of latitude. As a rule of thumb, the litter size decreases as more cubs die naturally. Still, scientists find it pretty hard to measure the original litter size when they see a female polar bear with her cub. That single cub doesn’t tell anything about its siblings which might have possibly died before weaning.

    In the winter of 1937, Father Van de Valde had obtained data on the polar bear litter sizes from various sites he traveled along the way. He observed the average litter size of 1.88 to 2.0 cubs from December to February.

    In 1970s, the largest litter sizes were recorded long the southwestern coastlines of Hudson Bay. Dick Robertson and Dale Cross had observed the litter sizes from the air. The average litter size was found to be 2.0 which were probably the greatest. Paul Prevet and George Kolenosky also tracked polar bears along the northern Ontario coast somewhere between 1974 and 1978. They also found the litter size to be 2.0.

    How Many Babies Can a Polar Bear have? – Video

  • How Far Can a Polar Bear Swim? – Polar Bear Swim

    Polar bears are pretty strong swimmers—probably the strongest of all the land-based predators. They will spend much of their time in swimming and thus they are sometimes referred to as marine mammals. Polar bears are capable to swim many a miles without stopping. However, they will less likely to swim in open waters because bears need ice floes to stop and relax. Let’s see now how far can a polar bear swim without stopping.

    How Far Can a Polar Bear Swim?

    • Polar bears will cover great distances in swimming and thanks to their large webbed feet that aid them in swimming. They are thought to travel across bays with no hesitation whatsoever. During summer, many polar bears swim from one ice floe to the other searching for a seal. Sometimes they do swim in open water for without any specific purpose.
    • Polar bear scientists claim that in summer subadult bears are more likely to enjoy swimming as compared to the adult bears. That is not to say that mature bears are less skillful. It’s just that young bears haven’t probably had enough of swimming and so they enjoy every bit of it.
    • At times, polar bears swim in open water 60 to 70 miles offshore in Barents Sea, Greenland, and Labrador. Scientists attached radio collars to the bear so they could measure the distance covered by a polar bear in swimming.
    • Many a times, they have seen polar bears traveling several kilometers most probably while stopping on ice floes. Nonetheless, scientists do believe that polar bears are not really used to marathon swimming and their presence in open water is more of accidental than normal routine.
    • During spring and summer, the ice floes move to the south thereby forcing bears to travel along with them. As it turns out, many polar bears tend to follow ice floes and by doing so they often find themselves swimming in open water.

    READ: [How Fast Can a Polar Bear Swim?]

    how far can a polar bear swim?
    Polar bears are generally comfortable at swimming between ice floes but recent melting of the Arctic Ocean ice have put a lot of stress on them. How far can a polar bear swim? Photo by Chelsea Tischler — National Geographic Your Shot

    Polar bears swimming in the northern coastline of Iceland often get drowned. The polar bear’s health defines as to how far it can swim in open water.

    Healthy polar bears are likely to travel great distances for they are well insulated by a layer of fat which keeps them warm in cold water.

    Female polar bears do not fancy their chances swimming long distances especially when their cubs are with them. Young polar bears aging less than a year are pretty much vulnerable to hypothermia if they swim for several miles. That is why mother bears usually carries them on her back (but only when the cub is small).

    What’s the Longest Swimming Distance Covered by any Polar Bear?

    The longest distance covered by any polar bear in swimming is about 427 miles—held by a female polar bear. She swam for up to 9 days continuously through the Beaufort Sea and covered as much as 427 miles (687 km). After resting on a sea ice she resumed her journey to travel another 1,800 kilometers but this time she covered some distance on foot too.

    Polar Bears of the Beaufort Sea

    In the Beaufort Sea, the Arctic Ocean sea ice is beginning to disappear. It’s going further north each passing year—away from the polar bear’s reach. Now polar bears must compromise their prime feeding areas in order to follow the ice. Scientists believe that polar bears inhabiting the Beaufort Sea had to swim only 10 to 15 miles earlier to find sea ice. However, now they may have to swim as far as 60 miles in search of the ice.

    READ: [How Do Polar Bears Swim?]

    Polar bears inhabiting Hudson Bay do not often swim long distances. The Hudson Bay population isn’t a major concern for scientists. Scientists are particularly worried about bears living in the Beaufort Sea.

    According to Canadian researchers, the polar bears found in the Beaufort Sea likely swims at least 50 kilometers which is even greater than our marathon (42.2 km). They are thought to swim 92 to 100 kilometers in approximately 4 days.

    Andrew Derocher, a leading polar bear researcher, says ‘it’s true that polar bears are pretty strong swimmers but that doesn’t in any way mean that all bears are born equal when it comes to the ability to swim.’

    “They [long distance swims] have a very high cost,” said Pilfold, now a postdoctoral researcher at the San Diego Zoo. “The concern is that might have a negative effect on polar bear survival.”

    How Far Can a Polar Bear Swim? – Video