LiveScience Topics: Polar Bears

Polar bears live in the Arctic and hunt seals from atop the sea ice. Polar bears are are now listed as a threatened species under the United States' Endangered Species Act as polar bear populations declined. Stay updated on polar bears with comprehensive articles, interactive features and polar bear pictures at LiveScience.com.

Explore Polar Bears

Hybrid Cubs Show Polar Bear and Grizzly Traits

Cubs born to polar bear and grizzly bear parents show mix of features.
Arctic May Be Changed Forever, Study Finds

Study documents ecosystem-wide changes to global warming across Arctic.
Goose Eggs Could Save Polar Bears

A new study finds that a rebounding goose population could provide eggs to feed some polar bears whose icy habitat is melting.

More Polar Bears News and Information

North vs. South Poles: 10 Wild Differences

Russia has planted a flag at the bottom of the sea marking the North Pole and laying claim to the region in an escalating race for oil. A U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker has been dispatched to map the Arctic seafloor at a time when the vast, floating ice cap
Bye-Bye Sea Ice

The Arctic Sea is on course to loss a big chunk of it's ice sheet.
Gambling on Global Warming Goes Mainstream

Scientists have been wagering privately for years, now the public can bet on climate change effects. The odds, however, are not in your favor.
Snowball Effect Fuels Arctic Meltdown

Average air temperatures from January to July 2006 in most of the Arctic were 2 to 7 degrees warmer than the average over the past 50 years.
Study: Polar Bear Genitals are Shrinking

The icecaps may not be the only thing shrinking in the Arctic. The genitals of polar bears in east Greenland are apparently dwindling in size due to industrial pollutants.
The Perils of Being Huge: Why Large Creatures Go Extinct

The fossil record is chock full of big beasts that didn't make it. Find out why, and what lessons can be learned.
Tips on Saving Earth's Biggest Animals

Although many of Earth's largest animals are endangered, it's not too late to take steps to prevent their demise.
Polar Bears May Be Turning to Cannibalism

Longer seasons without ice keep them from getting to their natural food.
Grizzlies Invade Polar Bear Territory, Outcome Uncertain

Scientists wonder if a changing landscape might lead to interbreeding with polar bears.