Digestive System
The Polar Bear has a large stomach, that enables it to take advantage of unexpected large meals which can tie them over during the slower winter months. The Polar Bear also has a stomach more adapted for processing meat than plant material.
Polar Bears feed mainly on Ring and Bearded Seals. When other food is unavailable, polar bears will eat just about any animal they can get, including reindeer, small rodents, seabirds, waterfowl, fish, eggs, vegetation (including kelp), berries, and human garbage. Methods for catching food:
Polar Bear eating a Ring Seal
Polar Bears feed mainly on Ring and Bearded Seals. When other food is unavailable, polar bears will eat just about any animal they can get, including reindeer, small rodents, seabirds, waterfowl, fish, eggs, vegetation (including kelp), berries, and human garbage. Methods for catching food:
- Still Hunting: The Polar Bear remains motionless at a breathing hole for seals in the ice and when a seal comes up for air the Polar Bear bites the head of the seal, flipping it onto the ice.
- Stalking on Land: When seals are out onto the ice, the Polar Bear will slowly approach the seal and in an instant charge the seal and latch onto the seal with its teeth before the seal can escape.
- Aquatic Stalk: A Polar Bear swims underwater towards the edge of the ice, once at the edge the Polar Bear quickly climbs onto the ice to grab a seal resting on top of the ice.
- Stalking Birth Lairs: This method is mainly used by females with cubs who need the higher fat content of female seals and their pups. The Polar Bear identifies the birth lair, and once the Polar Bear hears or smells the pups the Polar Bear will raise on its hind legs and crash down onto the top of the birth lair.
Polar Bear eating a Ring Seal
"POLAR BEARS - Diet & Eating Habits." POLAR BEARS - Diet & Eating Habits. Seaworld, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2013.
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/diet.htm
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/diet.htm