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The Polar bear has the legs are stocky and the ears and tail are small. The colour of fur is white and thick. However, the feet are very large to distribute load when walking on snow or thin ice and to provide propulsion when swimming. The pads of the paws are covered with small, soft papillae (dermal bumps) which provide traction on the ice. The polar bear's claws are short and stocky. The 42 teeth of a polar bear reflect its highly carnivorous diet. The polar bear has an extremely well-developed sense of smell, being able to detect seals nearly 1 mi (1.6 km) away. The polar bear is an excellent swimmer and individuals have been seen in open Arctic waters as far as 200 mi (320 km) from land.
The polar bear is the most carnivorous member of the bear family, and most of its diet consists of ringed and bearded seals. Polar bears have also been observed to eat a wide variety of other wild foods, including, reindeer, birds, eggs, rodents, shellfish, crabs, and other polar bears. They may also eat plants, including berries and roots. The polar bear kills the seal by biting its head to crush its skull. Polar bears rarely live beyond 25 years.
