20,000–25,000WILD RESCUE
POLAR BEAR FACTS
POLAR BEAR SURVIVAL
Polar bears live in the Arctic region. They need sea ice for hunting and breeding, and migrate each year, following the movement of the ice.
No. of polar bears living in the world today 20,000–25,000
Regions in which polar bears can be found: Canada, Greenland, Norway, USA, Russia Percentage of polar bears living in Canada: 60%
Life span: About 20–30 years in the wild – although most do not live beyond 15–18 years.
Oldest polar bear recorded: 45 years old (in captivity).
The polar bear is the largest land carnivore.
Weight: Male polar bears (boars) grow two to three times the size of females (sows). Boars can weigh more than 650kg and are about 2.5–3m long. The largest polar bear ever recorded was a male weighing 1,002kg and measuring 3.7m long.
Female polar bears breed about once every three years. The usual litter is twins, but occasionally there may be three or very rarely four. Cubs stay with their mum until they are about two and a half years old.
STATUS: VULNERABLE
The polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This means it is not currently endangered, but its future is far from certain.
Polar bear fur might look white, but it actually has no colour and is transparent. It looks white because it reflects light. The large paws of a polar bear are designed to be like snowshoes. They spread out the bear’s weight and stop it sinking in the snow. Its feet are also slightly webbed – like a duck’s!
THREATS
LOSS OF HABITAT
Climate change is the biggest threat to the polar bear. The dramatic increase in thawing of the Arctic sea ice has reduced their prey. It is predicted that the summer sea ice may disappear in the next 20–30 years, which will have a very bad effect on its numbers.
OIL DRILLING
Oil is already big business in the Arctic and the oil and gas industry is set to expand in the future. Polar bears can end up consuming chemicals from oil spills through grooming themselves or eating contaminated animals. Even a small amount of oil can kill a polar bear.
PREDATORS
Humans are the polar bears’ only predator. In the past, hunting was the greatest threat to the bears but this is now restricted by the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and their Habitat.
It’s not all bad news!
The World Wildlife Fund is working to tackle climate change and stop the melting of the polar bears’ sea ice habitat. They are also working to protect the Norwegian and Russian Arctic Sea from the pollution caused by shipping, fishing and oil and gas drilling.