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What do polar bears eat besides seals?
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bear
Grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, western Alberta, Canada.
While polar bears are primarily carnivorous and rely heavily on seals, they are opportunistic feeders and consume a variety of other food sources when available.1
Beyond seals, their diet includes:
- Marine Mammals: They are known to hunt beluga whales and consume the carcasses of stranded whales.1
- Fish: They feed on fish, including scavenging dead ones.12
- Vegetation and Eggs: Due to the loss of sea ice caused by global warming, polar bears are increasingly forced to forage for lower-quality food sources, such as berries and seabird eggs.1
- Scavenged Items: They are known to eat garbage found near human settlements.1
Although they are the most carnivorous members of the bear family, these opportunistic behaviors help them survive when their primary prey is less accessible.13