Polar bear
Did you know?
Ursus maritimus
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!)
Discover our Polar bear
Habitat
Wild and Zoo
Polar bears live in the Arctic – in coastal lands, islands and seas above 70 degrees latitude. But while they hunt on ice, they are rarely seen close to the North Pole. Find ours in Arctic Tundra.
Arctic Tundra
Track Polar Bears
in the wild.
We help our conservation partner Polar Bears International track polar bears in the wild with studies here in the zoo. Follow along in real time with the PBI Polar Bear Tracker map to see where the bears are! It's crucial information for science and conservation.
Polar Bear Tracker
Polar bear care
As a zoo and aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, our keepers and veterinarians are experts at providing the highest quality of care for our polar bear Laerke. Read more about her care.
Learn more
Meet our polar bear
Laerke
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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
Our home is melting.
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
Arctic Stories
Who's Nearby?
Like polar bears? Then visit our muskoxen, just along the path at Arctic Tundra.