The
polar bear is a
bear native largely within the
Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land
carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the
omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size.
A boar weighs around 350–680 kg,
while a sow is about half that size. Although it is closely related to the
brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower
ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the
seals which make up most of its diet.
Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea. Their scientific name means "
maritime bear", and derives from this fact. Polar bears can hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of
sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present.
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