Taxonomy: The scientific name for the polar bear is Ursus maritimus, which means 'Sea Bear' in the Greek language.

Distribution and Population: Polar bears are found throughout the ice-covered waters of the Arctic region and prefer to remain out on the sea ice all year if possible.  The sea ice provides a platform from which polar bears can hunt.  As the ice retreats north during the summer months, polar bears travel with the ice floes and continue to hunt seals (Stirling and Guravich 1990, p 61).