Polar Bear Conservation

Polar bears are the largest land predators on Earth. They live in the Arctic and depend on sea ice to hunt seals. As the climate warms, Arctic sea ice is melting earlier and freezing later each year. This means polar bears have less time to hunt and are struggling to find enough food.

Ice Is Disappearing

Polar bears stand on sea ice and wait at holes to catch seals when they come up to breathe. As sea ice melts, polar bears must swim longer distances to find ice. Some bears are going hungry because they cannot hunt for as long. Scientists estimate there are about 26,000 polar bears left in the wild.

Helping Polar Bears

The best way to help polar bears is to slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists track polar bears with GPS collars to study how they are adapting. Protected areas in the Arctic limit development in important polar bear habitat. Reducing our carbon footprint helps keep the Arctic cold enough for polar bears.

Fun Facts

• Polar bear fur is not actually white. Each hair is hollow and clear, and it only looks white because of the way it reflects light.
• Under their fur, polar bears have black skin that absorbs heat from the sun.
• Polar bears can smell a seal through three feet of ice and from nearly a mile away.

Did You Know?

Polar bears are such strong swimmers that they have been spotted swimming more than 60 miles without stopping!