Organs and Special Tissue
A male Polar Bear's penis is nublike, with a baculum (a bone) that extends when the animal is excited. But long hairs cover polar bears' reproductive organs, making it hard to determine gender by sight alone. (Even scientists who observe polar bears having sex may find that fur obscures the penis.) Males do have slightly longer hair than females at the tip of their penile "sheaths" (skin that surrounds the penis). And females, in turn, have long vulvar hairs underneath their tails. But unless a polar bear is anaesthetized, zookeepers can't get close enough to make out these differences.
Male Polar Bears have testes that produce sperm, and female Polar Bears have ovaries that produce eggs.
Male Polar Bears have testes that produce sperm, and female Polar Bears have ovaries that produce eggs.
Life Cycle of the Polar Bear
Implantation generally occurs in November, but varies depending on the weather conditions. Gestation is between 195 and 265 days, all the while the female s stay on land for those 8 months in maternity dens. The cubs remain with the mother until around 2 years of age. Females become sexually mature between the ages of 4 and 6, whereas males become sexually mature around the age of 6. Most polar bears live to be between 15 and 18 years old. Reproduction in Polar Bears is sexual and occurs naturally once a year for males and once every 3 years for females.
Peculiarities
Many caretakers in zoos mistake male polar bears for females or vice versa because of the large amount of hair covering the male and female genetalia.
Male and Female Differences
Males have testes and a penis, and females have ovaries.
"Polar Bear Fact Sheet." Polar Bear Fact Sheet. San Diego Zoo, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2013.
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/polar_bear/polar.htm#7
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/polar_bear/polar.htm#7