Polar bear
Did you know?
Polar bears may look white – but their skin is actually black, and their fur is clear and hollow. (It’s also wiry to touch – how do we know? Scroll down and find out!)
🚧 The polar bear twins will be off and on exhibit temporarily as we enhance their habitat with a new, larger shade structure. Exactly when they are on exhibit will change daily depending on construction.
Discover our Polar bears
Meet our bears
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Eating
(and predators!)
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Polar bears need blubber (a 4-inch layer of fat under their skin) to survive Arctic temperatures. They get this by eating seals, which they hunt just off the ice.
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They’ll also sometimes eat walruses, belugas and other whales that have washed ashore.
Their main predators are humans and other polar bears.
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Baby bear
it's cold out there.
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Female polar bears dig special dens to give birth, often to twin cubs which are around 10-12 inches long, weighing 2 pounds.
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Mothers bring cubs out of the den after about 5 months, and stay with them for 2-3 years, helping them survive.
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Going solo
(or sleeping it out)
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Polar bears are mostly solitary, grouping only to protect babies or if there is abundant food.
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They don’t hibernate, but will den temporarily to avoid harsh weather or while pregnant.
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Protecting Polar bears
THE THREAT: Polar bears face a huge threat – their home is melting. As climate change melts sea ice, they have nowhere to hunt seals, and face both starvation and human hunters on land.
TAKE ACTION: It’s not too late to slow the melting of the ice. Take action by reducing your carbon footprint, driving and idling less, lowering your thermostat and encouraging others to do the same