Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) - a photo on Flickriver

            The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is a carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (772–1,543 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although it is the sister species of the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice and open water, and for hunting seals, which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice. Their scientific name means "maritime bear" and derives from this fact. Polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. Because of their dependence on the sea ice, polar bears are classified as marine mammals; an alternative basis for classification as marine mammals is that they depend on the ocean as their main food source.

Because of expected habitat loss caused by climate change, the polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species, and at least three of the nineteen polar bear subpopulations are currently in decline. For decades, large-scale hunting raised international concern for the future of the species, but populations rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect. For thousands of years, the polar bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of circumpolar peoples, and polar bears remain important in their cultures. (wikipedia)

Polar bear were hunted heavily in Savalbard, Norway throughout the 19th century and to as recently as 1973, when the conservation treaty was signed. 900 bears a year were harvested in the 1920s and after World War II, there were as many as 400–500 harvested annually. The polar bear population continued to decline and by 1973, only around 1000 bears were left in Svalbard. Only with the passage of the treaty did they begin to recover. We were very fortunate to see Polar Bears on a recent trip with National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions around the Svalbard Archipelago. The summer of 2017 proved to be one of the best sea ice years in a long time. However, this was due to a very late winter and no real spring. They are a magnificent mammal and it was a real thrill and honour to watch bears reasonably close and at long range.

Taken in: Svalbard / Svalbard / Sveakaivos (show map)

Taken on: May 28, 2017

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Sets appears in: • Norway and Svalbard 2017 • Arctic Regions more » • Flora and Fauna • Explore'd « less

Groups appears in: • FlickrCentral • Marine Mammals more » • Wildlife Photography • Svalbard • The Flickr Irish! • National Geographic Wannabes • Arctic Images • Irish Flickr Users • Beautiful Earth • Bird and Nature Photography • El Paso Joe's Place - NO invite needed - Just great photos • Born Free, Living Free • Picture Fantastic • N A T U R E [no limits] • NATURE'S BEST • The Coolest Damn Cool Photographers in the World • Mother Nature (At her best) • Irish photographers. • Arctic Norway • *** Animals *** • Arctic Nature • Conns Cameras Flickr Group • North - close to and over th arctic polar circle around th world • in explore • PLANETA ANIMAL • Discover Your World « less

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, f/8.0, 1/1000 sec, 140mm, ISO 160 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens:	EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1000)
Focal Length:	140mm
ISO:	160
Exposure Bias:	+1/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.7 (Macintosh)
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