Polar bears asleep in Canada

© David Pike/Minden Picture

Polar bears in Canada

Polar bears are the largest living land carnivores native to mainly the Arctic Circle i.e., the Arctic Ocean and the land masses and seas around it. Polar bears need Arctic pack ice to hunt on, but that ice is shrinking as the planet warms. While polar bears are excellent swimmers—so much so that they're classified as marine mammals — the Arctic ice is still a crucial part of their survival. Polar bears are constantly facing a number of challenges due to climate change.