polar bear (Ursus maritimus) A polar bear eating a seal, by illustrator Hermann Simon
Date 1894
Source Outing, 1894 (https://archive.org/stream/outing23newy#page/338/mode/1up)
Author Hermann Simon
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Great_White_Bear,_by_Hermann_Simon.jpg
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 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.