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Presentation
The polar bear is the largest living terrestrial carnivore, perfectly adapted to life in Arctic regions. This majestic white bear dominates the ice floes of the Arctic Circle, where it is one of the most formidable predators.
Its yellowish-white coat, composed of hollow hairs, allows it to blend in with ice while retaining body heat. Its black skin absorbs solar rays, enhancing its thermal insulation. Its large paws with rough pads provide excellent grip on ice.
Characteristics
Indicative values: they vary by subspecies, sex and region.
Habitat and distribution
The polar bear inhabits coastal regions and pack ice of the Arctic, where sea ice is essential for hunting. It frequents coastal zones and Arctic oceans, particularly around Greenland, Russia, Canada, Alaska, and Scandinavia.
CURRENT RANGE
The polar bear is distributed exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere within circumpolar Arctic regions. It is found in nineteen distinct populations across Canada (8 populations), Russia (3), Alaska, Greenland, Norway, and Iceland. It is absent from North Africa and Tunisia.
Behaviour
The polar bear is a solitary creature that spends most of its time hunting on pack ice. It can remain motionless for hours near a seal breathing hole, waiting for the right moment to capture prey. It is a cautious and curious animal with an excellent sense of smell.
Reproduction
The female polar bear reaches sexual maturity around 4-5 years of age. Mating occurs in May-June on pack ice. The pregnant female digs a den to give birth to typically 1-3 cubs in December-January. Young bears stay with their mother for 2-3 years, learning essential hunting techniques.
Peculiarities
The polar bear possesses exceptional thermal insulation thanks to a dense undercoat and subcutaneous fat layer reaching up to 15 cm. Its eyes and ears are relatively small, minimizing heat loss. It is an excellent swimmer capable of traveling over 100 km without rest, and can fast for four months during ice melt.
Threats and conservation
The polar bear faces major threats from climate change, which reduces the extent and duration of pack ice, limiting hunting periods. Pollution, particularly contamination by persistent organic pollutants, affects reproduction. Illegal hunting and trade also pose risks, as do oil pollution and ship collisions.
Numbers and trends vary across sources and regions. See the IUCN assessment for the latest reference data.
Gallery
1 documented photographs.
References
UICN — Liste rouge des espèces menacées
Profile updated 08 August 2026 · Reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable (VU)
IUCN source, latest published assessment.
Similar animals
Other species documented in Animalpedia.