Ursus maritimus

Conservation status

Vulnerable

Like other Arctic species, polar bears are at risk from climate change, as the ice cover of the Arctic Ocean is declining and in some coastal areas the sea no longer freezes over. The world’s largest land carnivore mainly hunts seals, which are difficult to catch in open water. Only where the sea is covered by ice will seals regularly come up for air at breathing holes. These provide a perfect opportunity for hunting: the polar bear will wait patiently for hours until a seal appears. If there is no ice cover, polar bears will struggle to capture prey.