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Polar Bear Facts
Polar Bear Facts
Name
: Polar Bear
Binomial Name
: Ursus maritimus
Lifespan
: Up to 25 years
Diet
: Carnivorous
Range
: U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway (Svalbard).
Population
: Between 20,000 and 30,000 (estimate)
Conservation Status
: Vulnerable
18 Polar Bear Facts for Kids
A polar bear is a member of the Ursus genus.
The polar bear’s binomial name is Ursus maritimus.
Polar bears can be found in the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway (Svalbard).
Polar bears are hypercarnivorous and the most carnivorous member of the Ursus genus.
Because polar bears spend most of their life in the water, they’re considered a marine mammal.
The diet of a polar bear mostly consists of ringed seals and bearded seals.
Polar bears are still-hunters, they lie and wait for their prey, sometimes for many hours.
A polar bear can live up to 25 years, with wild bears reaching a record of 32 years and some in captivity reaching 43 years of age.
Polar bears are sexually dimorphic, males are large than females.
A male polar bear can reach a weight between 772 and 1,543 pounds.
A female polar bear can reach a weight between 386 and 772 pounds.
An adult polar bear has 42 teeth.
A female polar bear is called a sow.
A young polar bear is called a cub.
A polar bear can swim up to six miles per hour.
A polar bear can smell its prey up to one mile away.
A female polar bear was recorded swimming for 9 days straight. She swam over 1,100 miles and lost around 22% of her entire body mass.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists polar bears as vulnerable.
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Polar Bear Pictures
A photo of a polar bear (Ursus Maritimus).
Credit: WWF-Canon / Sindre Kinnerød
A photo of a polar bear and a young cub.
Credit: John Rollins
A photo of two polar bears fighting.
Credit: National Geographic Video
Additional Resources on Polar Bears
Polar Bear - The National Wildlife Federation
– Explore polar bears more in depth on the National Wildlife Federation website.
Polar Bear - World Wild Life
– Learn more about polar bears on the World Wild Life website.
Polar Bear - Wikipedia
– Discover more awesome facts about polar bears on the Wikipedia website.