🌿Native Nature

Polar Bear

Ursus maritimus

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia ›Phylum: Chordata ›Class: Mammalia ›Order: Carnivora ›Family: Ursidae ›Genus: Ursus

About

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (772–1,543 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Polar bears are the largest land carnivores currently in existence, rivaled only...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of Polar Bear?
The scientific name of Polar Bear is Ursus maritimus.
What is the conservation status of Polar Bear?
The Polar Bear has a conservation status of Vulnerable.
What kingdom does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the kingdom Animalia.
What phylum does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the phylum Chordata.
What class does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the class Mammalia.
What order does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the order Carnivora.
What family does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the family Ursidae.
What genus does Polar Bear belong to?
Polar Bear belongs to the genus Ursus.

In the News

A nosy polar bear and a lucky squirrel: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 shortlist

The polar bear image taken by Audun Rikardsen was among the 'highly commended' entries in this year's competition.

BBC Science & Environment · 8/25/2026

As the Arctic Warms, Hungry Polar Bears Are Eating More Seabirds—Wiping Out Colonies

One summer day in 2024, a polar bear walked across the flat, wild shore of Spy Island, Alaska. Common Eiders nested there, with birds and eggs in the hundreds. By the end of the day, almost all of...

Audubon · 8/25/2026

Prague zoo keeps polar bears cool with ice cubes as European summer heatwave hits

PRAGUE (AP) — Keepers at Prague Zoo used tons of ice on Thursday to give its animals some much-needed relief as yet another heat wave hit Europe. Polar bears Aleut and Gregor wasted no time and were rolling in the beds of ice cubes after entering their outside enclosure. The twins looked to have fun with the […]

Mongabay · 7/30/2026

Mike Salisbury, wildlife filmmaker who made plants behave like characters, has died, aged 84

To Mike Salisbury, patience was not a virtue so much as a working method. Lions did not hunt on cue. Plants did not move at a human pace. Polar bears did not respect production schedules, or much else. The task was to wait, improvise, and find a way to show television audiences that the natural […]

Mongabay · 5/23/2026