Polar Bear

Status: Vulnerable.

Description:The largest four-footed carnivore, unique in color and lifestyle. The exceptionally thick, water-repellent coat is white, or sometimes yellowish-white. The entire body is furred except for the nose and foot pads, the latter being lightly "haired" and partially webbed (for swimming). The ears are short and the head and neck elongated. Claws are extremely sharp and useful in grabbing prey.

Size:Males range from 8-9 feet in body length and weigh 750-1400 pounds. Females are smaller, measuring 6 1/2 feet long, and weigh 350-650 pounds.

Habitat:Sea ice and waters, islands, and coasts. Favored habitat is the annual ice which lies next to the continental arctic coastlines such as those in northern Canada, Greenland and the former Soviet Union.

Range: Circumpolar Arctic. Each bear has its own home range (or territory). A polar bear will not usually go past its home range, but will migrate within its range. The size of a home range varies -- much depends on the volume of pack ice and the number of seals available.

Food Source: Polar bears mostly feed on ringed seals, and sometimes bearded, harp, and hooded seals. They will also scavenge on walrus and whale carcasses.

Behavior: The two main focuses of this solitary creature's life is to conserve energy and to hunt. Only females (especially when pregnant) hibernate for long periods of time. Males make temporary dens in severe weather, but do not hibernate. Polar bears depend mostly on their sense of smell to guide them through their travels and to determine the location of their prey. Polar bears use two hunting methods: stalking and still-hunting. Stalking is the method used by most carnivores, where prey is stalked (followed) and them ambushed (attacked by surprise). Polar bears are able to stalk both on land and in water. Still-hunting, frequently used by polar bears, is when a bear sits beside a breathing hole and waits for a seal to come up for air. Once the seal is in range, the bear grabs it with his powerful forepaws and claws. An adult bear eating its kill will often share it with another bear rather than fighting for sole possession.

Reproduction: Females are able to breed at the age of five years. They have a relatively long gestation period of 195-265 days before a litter of 1-3 cubs is born. The cubs are born in December and January, and remain with the mother inside the den until March or April. The cubs stay with the mother for 28 months.

Population: About 20,000 in the wild.

Longevity: Polar bears can live in the wild up to 20-25 years.

Survival Threats: Habitat destruction due to oil and gas exploration and development. Sport hunting and fur trade also pose serious threats.

Legal Protection: CITES, Appendix II, U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (an international treaty between five countries, and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1976).