In the study mentioned earlier, the majority of long-distance sims by polar bears occurred during August and September, this is when the sea ice would be at its lowest and indicates that the bears were swimming to reach stable land.īut, when it comes down to it, polar bears are able to survive the cold waters thanks to lots of excess fat which can be converted into energy to keep them warm. If walking seems like a viable alternative, they will choose this instead, often taking longer routes than necessary to avoid excessive swimming 7 (source: Arctic Animals and Their Adaptations to Life on the Edge, A. 5, 2012) and their fur loses its insulative properties when wet so they risk freezing. They use lots of energy because they are not efficient swimmers 6 (source: Canadian Journal of Zoology, A.M. Swimming in icy water takes its toll on the polar bear. How Do Polar Bears Survive in Ice Cold Water?Īlthough polar bears can swim well and over long distances, they only do this because they have to in order to survive. This swim took a toll on the bear as she lost 22% of her body mass and her cubs died during the journey 5 (source: Canadian Journal of Zoology, A.M. The longest swim by a polar bear lasted over 9 days and totaled 687km in distance. They tracked 52 bears, of which 20 completed long-distance swims with an average distance of 154km. This is according to a recent study that tracked adult female polar bears over 6 years. Polar bears can swim for long distances, typically around 150km, although they have been recorded traveling up to 687km in a single swim. They will hold their breath and approach their prey from underneath, giving it little chance to escape. However, similar to hunting on land, the polar bear will rely on stealth to capture its prey, even when in the water. Polar bears can swim up to 6mph in water which is useful when hunting prey such as seals which have a similar swim speed 4 (source: WWF). Typically, pregnant polar bears and those with young cubs will not attempt to swim due to the higher risk this entails. Polar bears swim by using their front paws to paddle, they keep their hind legs level to help control the direction of travel 3 (source: WWF). But these paws are also helpful in the water too. It’s a well-known polar bear fact that they have large paws like snowshoes on the snow. They have evolved an excellent diving ability which helps them catch food more easily 2 (source: BBC) and they can hold their breath underwater to sneak up on prey. Tyler).Īlthough polar bears spend most of their time on land or sea ice, they swim for hunting or migratory purposes. The outer layer of fur is made up of long hollow hairs, these provide extra buoyancy to help these huge creatures swim 1 (source: Polar Bears, D.J. They have slightly webbed paws compared to other bears which, along with their size, helps them swim more easily. Polar bears are well adapted to swimming.
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