Polar bear
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (772–1,543 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although it is the sister species of the brown bear,it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice and open water, and for hunting seals, which make up most of its diet.Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice. Their scientific name means “maritime bear” and derives from this fact. Polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. Because of their dependence on the sea ice, polar bears are classified as marine mammals,More info:wiki
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#10 Learning to Coexist with Polar Bears,More info:polarbearsinternational
For the first time ever, wildlife managers and people who live and work near polar bears have access to a comprehensive new report on polar bear attacks. While not exhaustive, the study tallies published incidents since 1870, categorizes what may have caused each attack, and offers safety measures to help minimize such encounters in the future.
While only 73 known attacks occurred during the time frame studied, the analysis shows that polar bears in poor condition were the most likely to be involved. As sea ice loss continues in the Arctic and more under-nourished polar bears are driven ashore in more places, the authors recommend proactive measures to safeguard both bears and people.
#9 Polar bears are starving, and this video reveals why,More info:sciencemag
Polar bears rely on sea ice to get their primary meal: seals. But as climate change melts this ice, the bears have to work harder to find prey, and that’s taking a toll on their health, researchers report today in Science. To find out how much the animals need to eat, scientists captured nine female polar bears living in the Beaufort Sea each spring for 3 years and took blood samples and other measurements to gauge the bears’ metabolisms. Then they attached GPS collars affixed with video cameras and accelerometers to watch the bears forage for food. Polar bears living on sea ice need to eat more than 12,000 calories per day, the team found, which translates to at least one adult ringed seal—or the equivalent of nearly 220 Big Macs—every 10 to 12 days. That means the animals’ have higher metabolisms than previously thought. They also use a lot of energy when they walk, more than similarly sized animals. The researchers tracked the bears for about 10 days and found they walked for more than a quarter of that time. Bears that killed and ate ringed seals during the study gained or maintained weight, but more than half the bears lost weight and four lost at least 10% of their body weight. As sea ice continues to collapse, energy demands may outstrip the bears’ ability to find food and ultimately lead to their demise, the researchers say.
#8 10 FAST FACTS ABOUT POLAR BEARS,More info:arctickingdom
Polar bears have always been icons of the Arctic, and one of the most popular animals that guests want to see on our trips – they’re one of our favourites too. We love all things polar – and bears are no exception!
Canada is home to approximately 60% of the world’s polar bear population. Their habitat in Canada ranges from James Bay in the south to Ellesmere Island in the north, and east to west from Labrador to the Alaskan border. We are thrilled to be able to provide opportunities to see these majestic animals for guests from around the world.
#7 The Sea Bear,More info:polarbearsinternational
#6 Hungry Polar Bear Ambushes Seal | The Hunt | BBC Earth,More info:BBC Earth
#5 Canadian man dies protecting his children from polar bear,More info:abcnews.go
A Canadian man was hailed as a hero by his family after he died protecting his children from a polar bear.
Aaron Gibbons, 31, was at a popular fishing and hunting place on Sentry Island in Hudson Bay, approximately 10 kilometers from the hamlet of Arviat on the western shore, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Gibbons’s uncle, Gordy Kidlapik.
When Gibbons saw the bear, he jumped in between his children and the animal and told his kids to run to the boat, Kilapik told ABC News via direct message on Twitter.
“The bear surprised them and he started trying to distract it, also telling his children to run to the boat,” Kidlapik told ABC News. “It turned on him as they were running.”
Gibbons’ children ran and called for help on CB radio, Kidlapik said on Twitter, referring to Gibbons as “qangiaq,” the Inuinnaqtun word for nephew.
#4 11 FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT POLAR BEARS,More info:wwf
#3 Polar Bear Specialist Group: 50 Years!,More info:polarbearsinternational
Note: The brief note below, written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Polar Bear Specialist Group, is summarized from a much broader examination of the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears – its History and Future, led by Dr. Thor Larsen, one of the original members of the group when it was first formed in 1968. A copy of the full article is available below for free in PDF format.
The first international meeting on the conservation of polar bears was held in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1965. At that time, overhunting was thought to be the greatest threat to polar bear populations throughout the circumpolar Arctic. Thus, to start the process toward international cooperation on the research and conservation of polar bears, representatives met in Fairbanks, Alaska from all the “polar bear nations,” Canada, Denmark, Norway, the United States, and the USSR, along with representatives of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which was headquartered in the politically neutral country of Switzerland.
#2 THE ULTIMATE EXCLUSIVE POLAR BEAR VIEWING EXPERIENCE,More info:arctickingdom
We believe polar bear viewing is best done from ground level. Walking alongside and gazing into the eyes of a polar bear at an equal level, is an amazing, emotional experience. Plus, the lower vantage point allows for incredible and dramatic photography.
This is something you just can’t get on a tundra buggy. While Churchill, Manitoba is a popular polar bear viewing destination in the autumn months, the tundra buggy experiences include looking down on wildlife from above. Our Nanuvik Polar Bear Cabin is an exclusive polar bear experience like no other. Surrounded by an unobtrusive electric fence, it provides unprecedented opportunities for safely viewing and photographing polar bears, up-close from ground level, in their natural habitat.
#1 Polar Bears,More info:paulnicklen
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