Polar bears

Since 2003, WWF has partnered with the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) to  track Svalbard polar bears by satellite.  The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, rapidly altering the sea ice that polar bears depend upon. This research helps scientists understand how polar bears are adapting to changing ice conditions. […]

Norwegian Polar Institute researchers study polar bears on Svalbard.

One constant in the world of bears is that people and bears are increasingly getting in each other’s way.

Polar bears don’t deserve their bloodthirsty reputation.

American and Russian scientists team up in Alaska’s remote Chukchi Sea

Just how many polar bears are there in the world?

[Updated, April 15, 2016] The past year has broken records for warmth in the Arctic, and around the world. First, 2015 was the warmest year on record. Then January 2016 smashed global records to become the hottest January. February 2016 was the hottest February ever recorded, and the most abnormally warm month, breaking a record […]

“The bears waited until dark to come to the boiler. After that, they headed for the village Christmas tree. ” – In the field with a Russian polar bear patrol.

As part of a multi-country project to reduce conflict situations between people and polar bears, WWF representatives have undertaken an expedition to Vaygach Island off the northwest coast of Russia.

Around the world, polar bear researchers use satellite collars to track where bears go, and how they’re adapting to a fast-changing Arctic. We follow a number of these bears on an interactive map: Because the data is (almost) live, you can watch unusual and exciting behaviour unfold as the researchers do. This year, researchers at […]