Scientific name -- Ursus maritimus
Size -- males up to 1700 lbs., females up to 600 lbs.
Diet -- seals, whales, caribou

Polar bears live farther north than any other land mammal and are the largest living land carnivores.

Polar bears use a variety of hunting techniques. White fur and padded paws means they can stalk seals resting on the ice. They have been known to wait next to seal breathing holes for hours in order to pull a 250 lb. seal up onto the ice. They are also strong enough to create new breathing holes to bait seals.

Despite their hunting strategies, polar bears make successful kills less than 15% of the time. Fortunately, they can eat a lot of meat, over 150 lbs. at one sitting, and can go without food for weeks. Scores of polar bears have been seen feeding off the carcasses of dead whales.