Polar bear cubs playing, Kaktovik, Alaska

© Piriya Photography/Getty Image

Polar bear cubs

Bear with us as we head to Alaska, United States, to celebrate the world's largest bear species, the polar bear! The polar bears in today's image are in Kaktovik, a small Inupiat whaling community in the state. The bears visit the village during autumn, attracted by unused remnants left on the streets by whale hunters. Polar bears have gone by many names over the years, including white bear, ice bear and Greenland bear. Their scientific name, Ursus maritimus, is Latin for sea bear. These apex predators live and hunt on Arctic Sea ice. Their prey largely consists of seals, but they have been known to eat beluga whales, reindeer and other Arctic animals. The cubs are protected by their mothers in their dens, as this is the most vulnerable time in a polar bear's life. Let’s strive to conserve this precious species, more so in such times of rising global warming.