The best bear tours to the polar region are accompanied by expert naturalist guides, knowledgeable about the area and familiar with the behavior of the magnificent polar bears. When you’re on one of the dedicated bear tours, you’ll spend a lot of time observing this behavior for yourself, so it’s a good idea to have at least some understanding of what the different behaviors mean and how to interpret the animals’ actions. Here are some interesting facts about how these animals communicate and socialize.

Understand your social life

Polar bears are not territorial like other bear species, but instead roam home ranges that vary in size and often overlap with each other. Many people believe that they are aggressive, but this is not strictly true. Of course, they will fight to protect the pups, if they feel threatened or if they are protecting prey, but otherwise they will avoid confrontation and run rather than fight.

Polar bears live alone, and while they care for their young and mate with a mate, they are essentially solitary creatures. The female, however, will care for the cubs for two to three years and defend them with her life. A female will only mate every three years, so she leaves more males than females during the mating season. This can lead to very aggressive fights between the adult males, and can even end in the death of one.

Females normally have two cubs at a time, and there is a lot of play and interaction as they grow and learn to fight and hunt. During much of the day they rest or sleep, and when they are not lying down they are usually hunting. They hunt by simply sitting and waiting, or by swimming or walking long distances to reach a food source.

Communication

The animals can be very talkative and are often quite vocal – you’ll hear a variety of different sounds from the animals during bear tours. They have different sounds to convey messages to their young, protect themselves and during mating. Purrs, growls, and hisses are common sounds, as well as a snorting noise often heard when the mother greets the pup from her. Young pups are hazel than their parents, spending a lot of time playing and interacting with their siblings. They are very curious and often growl or groan in an attempt to be noticed.

Specialized polar bear tours will allow you to get up close and personal with these wonderful wild creatures in their natural habitat. Getting even a little insight into their behavior patterns can further enrich your experience.