We know that the polar bear is one of the largest land animals, but how tall are they standing up? They are one of the few animals that is capable of standing upright on their hind legs, although they do not walk in this manner.
Most often, this stance is used to get a better vantage point to something in the distance or to appear more intimidating to another polar bear.
How Tall Are Male Polar Bears Standing Up?
Male polar bears are almost twice the size of their female counterparts and they will stand on their hind legs more often. This upright position is adopted as a way of appearing large and stronger than an opponent, a particularly useful trick when territory is being fought over.
Adult male polar bears are 240-260 centimetres (7’9-8’5 feet) long. Standing on four legs, males reach around 4 feet (122 cm) in height. However, standing up or upright, a polar bear can be as tall as 9 feet (274 cm)! That’s taller than the average artificial Christmas tree. The tallest polar bear on record was 11 feet and 1 inch tall.
Also Read: How Much Does a Polar Bear Weigh?
How Tall Are Female Polar Bears?
Female polar bears are roughly half the weight of males and approximately 50cm shorter in body length. Standing on all fours, a female polar bear is between 3 and 4 feet (91-122 cm) tall at the shoulder. When standing up on its hind legs, a female polar bear can reach 7.5 feet (230 cm) tall.
By comparison, a giraffe’s neck is also around 7 feet, as is the length of a Queen size bed! Compared to humans, there are roughly 2000 people alive today who are 7 feet or taller in height. Quite rare really, but for polar bears, this is the norm. Find a list of the world’s tallest people here. Still not quite as tall as the polar bear standing up!
How Tall Are New-born Polar Bears?
When it comes to new-born polar bears, things start to go a little backwards. Most bear species have cubs much smaller than expected when we consider their expected adult size.
A new-born polar bear cub is no longer than a 30-centimetre ruler (12 inches) and no more than 35 cm (13.7 inches) tall standing up. However, that would not be possible because all cubs are born with their eyes closed, a toothless mouth and unable to walk. Males are slightly larger than females, with smaller cubs measuring 20-25 centimetres from nose to tail.
Cubs suckle from their mother in the safety of the den for the first month after birth. Most females give birth during their hibernation and the cubs will begin to suckle on their own. Their fast development is thanks to the high fat content of their mother’s milk, which is 48-50% fat.
This helps the cubs to grow and develop a thicker coat. Within the first month cubs will open their eyes and by end of the second month they will be walking around the den. At this stage, cubs will be up to 2 feet tall and getting ready to leave the den for the first time.