| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION |
| COMMON NAME: | polar bear |
| KINGDOM: | Animalia |
| PHYLUM: | Chordata |
| CLASS: | Mammalia |
| ORDER: | Carnivora |
| FAMILY: | Ursidae |
| GENUS SPECIES: | Ursus (bear) maritimus (sea) |
| FAST FACTS |
| DESCRIPTION: | Polar bears are the largest land carnivore. Adapted for the cold, polar bears have a thick fur coat that appears white in coloration, but is really translucent. Their black skin color is readily apparent on the nose, eyes, lips and footpads. In addition to their size and color, polar bears may also be distinguished from other bear species by their smaller ears, longer necks and the lack of a dorsal hump in adults. |
| MALE | Adult male polar bears, called boars, are substantially larger than adult females. |
| SIZE: | At birth, cubs are about 30 cm (12 in.) long |
| MALE | 2.5-3 m (8.2-9.8 ft.) long |
| FEMALE | 2-2.5 m (6.6-8.2 ft.) long |
| WEIGHT: | Newborn calves weigh about 454-680 g (16-24 oz.) |
| MALE | 350-650 kg (772-1,433 lb.) |
| FEMALE | 150-250 kg (331-551 lb.) |
| DIET: | Adult polar bears need an average of 2 kg (4.4 lb.) of fat per day to maintain their weight. Their diet includes mostly ringed and bearded seals and also includes other seal species, walruses, narwhals, beluga whales, whale carcasses, fish, reindeer, birds, eggs, berries and kelp. |
| GESTATION: | About 8 months; includes about a 4 month period of delayed implantation |
| ESTRAL PERIOD | Females are induced ovulators; mating triggers the release of an egg for fertilization |
| NURSING DURATION | 18-30 months (wean) |
| SEXUAL MATURITY: |
|
| MALE | About 6 years |
| FEMALE | About 4 years |
| LIFE SPAN: | Typically 15-18 years; some have lived over 30 years |
| RANGE: | Circumpolar arctic |
| HABITAT: | Inhabit Arctic sea ice, water, islands, and continental coastlines |
| POPULATION: | GLOBAL | Estimated at 21,500-25,000 |
| STATUS: | IUCN | Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent |
| CITES | Appendix II | |
| USFWS | Not listed |
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