International Polar Bear Day is on Saturday, February 27, 2027, and it falls on February 27 every year. Polar Bears International uses it to raise awareness about polar bears and the sea ice they depend on. The day puts a special focus on mothers and newborn cubs.
When Is International Polar Bear Day?
It’s always February 27. Polar Bears International says it timed the day to match denning season, when mothers and cubs are tucked inside snow dens. Denning is the most vulnerable time in a polar bear’s life.
Who Started International Polar Bear Day?
Polar Bears International, a conservation group, founded the day. It hasn’t published a start year on its event page.
What happens in the den
Cubs are most often born in December, usually as twins. Each newborn weighs a little over a pound and is about 12 to 14 inches long. Families typically leave the den in March or April.
The mother doesn’t eat or drink while she’s in the den. Cubs then stay with her for about two and a half to three years.
Why Polar Bears Need Attention
There are about 26,000 polar bears, according to the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group. Scientists split them into 20 subpopulations, but 10 lack enough data to show a clear trend.
The IUCN lists the species as vulnerable, with sea ice loss as the biggest threat. In the U.S., the Fish and Wildlife Service listed polar bears as threatened in 2008. A 2023 review found they still qualify.
Only two subpopulations reach U.S. territory: the Chukchi Sea and the Southern Beaufort Sea, both off Alaska.
How to Celebrate International Polar Bear Day
- Watch a den-season talk: Polar Bears International often hosts live chats with researchers around the day.
- Send a free e-card: share a polar bear e-card from the group’s website with friends.
- Start a fundraiser: run a classroom or office drive for polar bear research.
- Teach kids den facts: weigh a one-pound bag of sugar to show how small a newborn cub is.
- Visit a zoo bear: many accredited zoos hold talks or enrichment sessions for their polar bears around the day.
- Read a polar bear book: pick a nonfiction picture book about Arctic animals for young readers.
- Cut energy at home: lower your thermostat a couple of degrees; the group links sea ice loss to fossil fuel emissions.
How Much Do Polar Bears Eat?
They need far more energy than once thought. A 2018 study in Science tracked female bears on the Beaufort Sea ice with camera collars. Their metabolic rates ran more than 50% higher than earlier predictions.
Ringed seals make up most of their diet, with bearded seals second. The bears in the study caught five to 10 seals a month in spring, but only a couple a month in fall.
That’s why sea ice matters so much. Polar bears hunt seals from the ice, so less ice means fewer chances to build up the fat they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are polar bears the largest bears?
Yes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls the polar bear the largest living bear species.
Are polar bears endangered?
They’re listed as vulnerable by the IUCN and as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, mainly because of sea ice loss.
Where can you see polar bears in the U.S.?
In the wild, only in northern Alaska. Elsewhere, several accredited zoos care for polar bears and run education programs.
Sources
- Polar Bears International – International Polar Bear Day
- Polar Bears International – Polar Bear Status and Populations
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Polar Bear Status Remains Threatened (2023)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)
- Polar Bears International – Polar Bear Life Cycle
- UC Santa Cruz News – Polar bears’ high energy demands (Science, 2018)