The polar bear inhabits the harsh, ice-covered regions of the Arctic. These apex predators possess immense power and highly specialized hunting skills. While attacks on humans are statistically rare, polar bears are uniquely capable of viewing people as a viable food source, distinguishing them from many other large bear species. This predatory potential is rooted in their biology and environment, explaining the circumstances under which a human becomes a target.
The Natural Diet and Hunting Strategy
Polar bear survival depends on a high-fat diet of seals, primarily ringed and bearded seals, hunted from the sea ice. A thick layer of blubber sustains their massive size and builds fat reserves needed for long periods of fasting. An adult bear can consume up to 100 pounds of blubber in a single successful feeding.
Their primary hunting technique is called “still-hunting,” where the bear uses its keen sense of smell to locate a seal’s breathing hole in the ice. The bear crouches motionless beside the hole, sometimes for hours, waiting for a seal to surface for air. Once the seal appears, the bear lunges to secure the prey with its claws and powerful jaws. Another method involves stalking seals basking on the ice, crawling slowly before executing a final pounce from close range.
Predatory Behavior: When Humans Become Targets
Unlike many grizzly or black bear encounters, which are often defensive, most polar bear attacks are predatory in nature. Data indicates that fatal attacks occur because the bear is actively seeking food. This aggressive intent means that playing dead is not a viable defense strategy and will only increase the risk of a fatal encounter.
The bears most likely to exhibit this behavior are nutritionally stressed adult males and subadults, which are less experienced hunters. These bears are driven by acute hunger, and their curiosity can quickly transition into a hunting investigation. A bear may initially approach a human or camp, but if it perceives the person as an easily acquired meal, the predatory sequence begins. Coupled with their hyper-carnivorous diet, this means they may treat a person no differently than a seal they are stalking.
Environmental and Anthropogenic Risk Factors
The likelihood of a polar bear viewing a human as prey is increasing due to external pressures that disrupt their natural hunting cycles. The progressive loss of sea ice is the most significant factor forcing bears onto land for longer periods. With their primary hunting platform gone, these bears spend extended time ashore, leading to resource scarcity and severe nutritional stress.
This prolonged time on land brings bears into greater proximity to human settlements, significantly increasing the potential for conflict. As bears become desperate for calories, they are drawn to anthropogenic attractants such as garbage dumps and unsecured food. This process, known as habituation, teaches the bears to associate human settlements with easy, high-calorie meals, overcoming their natural caution. Managing bears that repeatedly seek out human food sources is a challenge for communities across the Arctic.
Avoiding Encounters and Ensuring Safety
Minimizing conflict requires a proactive approach focused on reducing attractants and being constantly prepared for an encounter. Arctic residents and visitors must secure all food, garbage, and items with strong odors in bear-resistant containers to prevent habituation. This strategy eliminates the association between human activity and accessible calories.
Travel protocols emphasize vigilance and group size, as attacks on groups of two or more people are less common. Carrying appropriate deterrents, such as bear spray or signal flares, and knowing how to use them is paramount. If a bear approaches, standing your ground, making loud noise, and using deterrents are the recommended actions, as running may trigger a predatory pursuit.