The approximate number of polar bears in the wild
Numbers in the News: Polar Bears
February 27th is International Polar Bear Day. Learn more about this iconic Arctic animal.
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26,000
2050
By this year, global polar bear numbers are projected to have declined by about 30 percent due to threats like climate change, illegal hunting, and pollution.
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15 to 18
The average number of years polar bears live
1,500
The weight in pounds of a large male polar bear
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6.2
The distance in miles from which polar bears can smell prey, like seals—even when their prey is beneath ice
THINK ABOUT IT: Consider where polar bears live and what they eat. How might climate change be affecting these animals?
SOURCES: EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, NASA
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