Here rules bone chilling cold: Ice and snow define the landscape. The polar bear feels right at home in the extreme conditions that exist in the arctic polar region.
A polar bear mother has marked out protective territory for her cubs between floating icebergs in an ice floe. While the baby polar bears romp and frolic, the mother is on the constant lookout for any possibly threatening situations.
The 880 pound female stands on her hind legs and raises her head, resulting in a height of over 8 feet. She seems to catch the scent of oncoming danger as she opens her mouth to bear her large pointed teeth.
But soon after she calms down again, returns her front paws to the ice, and turns her protective attention back to her cubs.
She serves as a great example: After all, it is her duty to teach the cubs all they need to know about surviving in the wild.
Plentiful prey swims in the water surrounding the pack ice.
Seals must be especially careful when rising to the surface for air they may be caught off guard by the polar bears huge paws.
Seals must be especially careful when rising to the surface for air they may be caught off guard by the polar bears huge paws.
