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Polar bear map Ursus maritimus Vulnerable

Where the polar bear lives: an interactive map of recorded sightings worldwide.

Approximate range, based on recorded sightings. Shapes are drawn by World Animal Map from 1,734 wild occurrence records on GBIF (CC0/CC BY 4.0; captive and fossil records excluded, isolated outliers removed), grouped into 1° grid cells and clipped to land and nearby coastal waters. They show where the animal has been recorded, not an official range; gaps can simply mean no open data. Method · Records on GBIF

Polar Bear - Alaska
Photo: Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific nameUrsus maritimus
StatusVulnerable (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Mapped range layers1
Records used1,734 wild occurrence records (GBIF, CC0/CC BY)
GroupBears

Interesting facts

  • The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore by body mass, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). [source]
  • The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960. [source]

About the polar bear

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore by body mass, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic, as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water.

Photos

Polar bear: Wapiti from Wagon Trails
Photo: Brian0918, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Eskimo hunter and polar bear slain with bow and arrow LCCN2005691848
Photo: Kleinschmidt, Frank E., photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Polar bear: Greenland-polarbear-skin hg
Photo: Hannes Grobe, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Text in “About”, “Interesting facts” and “Population” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Polar bear (revision 1378892239), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: sentences excerpted verbatim, citations and formatting removed. No text added. Taxa and status: Wikidata Q33609 (CC0).

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Brown bear

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