Most of the bears living on Earth inhabit the Northern Hemisphere, and polar bears are no exception. The Arctic and the Antarctic are somewhat similar, yet they are populated by very different living creatures. Near both of the Earth's poles, both seals and whales thrive, but only in the Arctic lives the largest bear on Earth - the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). These large animals can be found in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and occasionally even in Iceland. The polar bear's coat is adapted for life in 30-degree frost; the bear feeds on fatty seals, whose blubber helps it endure and maintain energy during the periods between meals, which can be quite long for a polar bear. Antarctica has ice, low temperatures, and seals. Why are there no polar bears there? According to scientists, the answer lies in evolutionary processes and the Earth's geological history.
Original photograph from the article used, author Paul Souders