Polar bear. Tour bus full of tourists on a polar bear safari, being inspected by a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) standing on its hind legs. The polar bear is a solitary animal, meeting only to mate. It inhabits the ice floes and coastal waters of the Arctic region. It is an excellent swimmer, sometimes swimming many kilometres between ice floes. It is one of the largest land carnivores, reaching up to 2.5 metres in length and weighing over 800 kilograms. It is a fierce hunter, feeding on seals, fish and birds. It has also been known to attack and kill humans. Photographed in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.