Description

Distinguishing Features - Length: 2.2 - 3.5 m; weight: 420 - 500 kg. Overall colouration: white; black nose, lips, and eyes; small ears, long neck and long legs; male is considerably larger than female.

Habitat

Native to extreme northern Canada, Alaska and Arctic Islands; on broken ice packs at northern edge of continent, near North Pole; seldom far inland; except near Churchill, Manitoba.

Diet

Primarily seals and walruses; also fish, birds, bird eggs, small mammals, carrion, shellfish, crabs, starfish; sometimes mushrooms, grasses, berries and garbage left behind by humans when other food is not available.

Notes

The Polar Bear is an excellent swimmer and can move at a rate of up to10 km/h; it can also remain submerged for about two minutes.

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