How many Polar Bears currently exist?
The general population estimation for Polar Bears is around 22 000 to 31 000. The latest evaluation, according to IUCN in 2015, is 26, 000 Polar Bears are available. A more recent study by Hamilton & Derocher in 2018 estimated there are 23, 000 of them.
Polar Bears live in remote areas and occur in low density, it is challenging and expensive for abundance estimation, and some of the information remains poor and outdated.
Where Do Polar Bears Live?
Polar Bears live in the Arctic and are found in Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and U.S. (Alaska). They rely on sea ice to hunt, mate, rest, and travel. They are natural travelers in the Arctic. Polar Bears in areas with less sea ice and prey may travel a further distance. When a young Polar Bear grows up, it may leave its mother and move up to 1000 kilometers.
What is Polar Bear's favorite food?
Ice seals are important food sources for Polar Bears because the seal's fat provides abundant calories for them.
How big are Polar Bears?
They are around 6-9 feet tall. Male Polar Bears weigh about 800-1300 pounds, and females weigh about 300-700 pounds.
Are Polar Bears endangered?
The IUCN listed the Polar Bears as vulnerable species in the Red List category. The Red List took the following information into classification criteria:
Population reduction
Restricted geographic range
Small population size and decline
Very small or restricted population
Extinction probability analysis
The hierarchy of threatened categories in the Red list start with the less critical level (vulnerable) and move up to the endangered and critically endangered level. The number of Polar Bears, although it is not critically endangered currently, they are encountering significant threats in daily living.
What major threats are Polar Bears encountering?
The most significant threat to Polar Bears is climate change. With the earth getting warmer and warmer, the sea ice melts earlier in springs and forms later in autumn. Therefore, the periods of hunting seasons for Polar Bears are shorter, and they have to spend long periods without food. As they spend a longer time starving, the Bear's health declines and is getting lighter, leading to a lower reproduction rate and higher cubs mortality.
Pollution: organic pollutants/toxic industrial substances are found in the Polar Bear's foods. Since they are at the top of the food chain, Polar Bears are exposed to a high concentration of pollutants.
Oil exploration in the Arctic: with increasing oil and gas exploration moving to the Arctic, it could affect the Polar Bears by reducing the insulation of their fur, destroying their habitat, poisoning, and disturbing them.
Fun facts:
What is the sleeping pattern of Polar Bears?
Polar Bears sleep 7-8 hours and like to nap everywhere, particularly after feeding on seals to conserve energy. Polar Bears can sleep in the blizzards. They dig shallow pits in the snow, keep their sides and backs to the wind, and even curl up and sleep for a few days in a cold storm.
Do Polar Bears bath?
Yes, they bath themselves in open water during summer and dry themselves by shaking the water off. In winter Polar Bears clean themselves by rubbing onto the snow.
What is the skin color of Polar Bears?
Polar bears have black skin to keep them warm. Their hair shaft has no pigment and is transparent. It reflects visible light, which makes them look white.
Are Polar Bears good swimmers and splinters?
Polar Bears are excellent swimmers and can swim at a pace of 6 miles per hour. They can paddle with their front paws and steer with their hind legs. The thick layer of fat protects Polar Bears from the cold air and sea.
Polar Bears can run as fast as 25 miles per hour for a short distance, so do not try to outrun a Polar Bear.
If you want to learn more about Polar Bears, please visit the following websites:
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