# What Do Polar Bears Eat?

> Polar bears are marine carnivores that hunt ringed and bearded seals from sea ice. Land foods are poor substitutes when ice fails.

- **Species:** Polar Bear (*Ursus maritimus*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Carnivore (mainly seals)
- **Habitat:** Arctic sea ice and coasts
- **Lifespan:** ~25 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** 40 km/h (25 mph) on land
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/polar-bear/what-do-polar-bear-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/polar-bear/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The polar bear is the largest land carnivore, perfectly adapted to life on Arctic sea ice. It hunts seals from the ice, has black skin under white-looking translucent fur, and is classified as a marine mammal because it depends on the ocean. Polar bears live around 25 years and are threatened by melting sea ice.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Built for the Arctic

Polar bears are superbly adapted to extreme cold, with a thick layer of fat, dense insulating fur, and large paws that spread their weight on thin ice and act as paddles when swimming. Their fur appears white but is actually translucent, and their skin underneath is black.

## Help protect the Polar Bear

Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice that is shrinking as the Arctic warms. Habitat protection funds partners — WARN does not run Arctic field camps.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/polar-bear/what-do-polar-bear-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.