PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Height: Male 2.6 m (8.5 FT), female 2m (6.5FT)

Weight: Male 900 lbs., female 500 lbs.

The fur is off-white. The polar bear has a black nose, eyes and mouth. The skin is also black, which helps to absorb the heat of the sun, and the hairs act like fiber optics, they conduct the energy of the sun directly to the body.

The polar bear eats mostly seals, but also feeds on other mammals, eggs and plants.

The Polar Bear has a very good sense of smell. They can detect the location of a seal's breathing hole from two miles away. When they have located the breathing hole, they wait for the seal to pop its head through, and they pull out the seal with their powerful paws and mouth.
 

HABITAT & LIFE CYCLE

The Polar Bear is sexually mature at 4 to 8 years old. Females have 1 to 3 cubs every 28 months. Once the cub is born, it will drink mother's milk for 28 months until he is weaned.

The Polar Bear can live for up to 30 years.
 

Page last updated on September 6, 2001