Right now, you’ll find somewhere between 20,000 and 31,000 polar bears roaming the Arctic. They’re spread out across about 19 or 20 subpopulations.
About 20,000–31,000 polar bears remain worldwide, with most living in Canadian waters and the rest scattered across Greenland, Russia, Norway, and the United States.
Let’s get into how scientists actually count these bears, where the main groups live, and why the numbers keep shifting by region.
The next few sections break down the latest population estimates, what’s causing declines in some places, and what people and governments are trying to do to help polar bears stick around.
Current Global Polar Bear Population and Distribution
Here’s what we know about the most up-to-date population numbers, where polar bears actually live, how scientists split them into subpopulations, and how many are in zoos or aquariums.
Latest Population Estimates
Researchers put the global wild polar bear population at about 20,000 to 31,000. They get this range from field surveys, genetic studies, and expert reviews by groups like the Polar Bear Specialist Group.
Numbers change depending on the method and the year, so there’s always some uncertainty. Most recent global totals came from 2023 and 2024 reviews.
Some regions have fresh counts from aerial or genetic capture–recapture work. Other places just don’t have enough data, so you’ll see “unknown” listed. The 20,000–31,000 range is your best bet for now, but it’s definitely not an exact number.
Breakdown by Country and Region
Polar bears live across five countries: Canada, Greenland (Denmark), Norway (Svalbard), Russia, and the United States (Alaska). Canada has the biggest share.
Regional differences matter a lot. For example, scientists monitor the Southern Beaufort Sea and Northern Beaufort Sea separately because local trends can be pretty different.
Some subpopulations are stable or even growing. Others are dropping or just haven’t been studied enough to know. Sea-ice changes affect where bears hunt and travel, so numbers in each country can shift over time.
If you want a country-by-country breakdown, check out the Polar Bear Population by Country 2026.
Subpopulations of Polar Bears
Scientists split polar bears (Ursus maritimus) into about 19 or 20 subpopulations. Each one covers a specific Arctic area for management and research.
Subpopulation estimates come with confidence intervals and usually mention long-term and short-term trends. The Polar Bear Specialist Group keeps a detailed table of subpopulations, complete with the latest numbers, trends, and sea-ice info.
Some subpopulations, like a few in Canada and the Barents Sea, have multi-year surveys. Others just don’t have enough data yet.
Subpopulation boundaries matter for local management, hunting quotas, and tracking changes tied to sea-ice loss.
Polar Bears in Captivity
About 300 polar bears live in zoos, aquariums, and conservation centers around the world. They’re there for breeding, education, and research.
Captive populations help people see bears up close and raise public awareness, but they don’t change the wild population totals. Facilities track births, deaths, and transfers through studbooks to keep genetics healthy.
Care varies by institution and region. If you’re looking into human–bear interactions or public displays, remember that captive bears make up a tiny fraction compared to wild Ursus maritimus.
Major Threats and Conservation Efforts
So, what’s hurting polar bears the most, and what are people doing about it? The big issues are loss of sea ice, worse body condition and fewer cubs, rising run-ins with people, and a mix of treaties and local actions trying to protect bears.
Climate Change and Sea Ice Decline
Arctic sea ice is shrinking every year. Summers last longer now, with bigger ice-free stretches.
Polar bears need sea ice to hunt seals—especially bearded and ringed seals. When the ice melts earlier or forms later, bears lose hunting time and have to fast or swim farther for food.
Greenhouse gas emissions make the Arctic warm almost four times faster than the global average. That speeds up sea ice loss and pushes bears onto land more often.
Reduced sea ice hits regional populations in different ways. Some groups still look stable, but others are dropping fast. Organizations keep an eye on sea ice and bear movements to plan protections.
Impacts on Body Condition and Reproduction
When food gets scarce, you’ll see weaker bears. Poor body condition makes it harder for adults to survive and means less milk for cubs.
Females that enter winter dens underweight have fewer cubs and might skip breeding for a year. Studies link longer ice-free seasons to lower body mass and smaller litters.
Cubs born to undernourished mothers don’t have great odds. Monitoring programs use physical exams, collars, and surveys to measure these trends.
If we want healthy bears and normal cub numbers, improving sea ice conditions is the main thing that’ll help.
Human–Polar Bear Conflict
As ice disappears, bears show up in towns and camps more often. They come ashore looking for food, which raises the risk of property damage, livestock loss, and danger for both people and bears.
Communities in northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Norway, and Russia all report more bear encounters during long ice-free seasons.
Managers use deterrents, secure food storage, and trained response teams to keep conflict down. Some areas install bear-proof dumpsters, electric fencing, and set up community patrols.
These steps protect people and bears—and help avoid having to remove problem animals for good.
Conservation Strategies and International Agreements
You can actually help protect polar bears—both right now and for the future. In 1973, countries that share polar bear habitats signed the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears. They agreed to manage populations and limit hunting.
The IUCN lists polar bears as a species of concern. Managers rely on their status reports when making decisions.
Some practical steps? People can protect important denning and feeding spots. They can also try to limit oil and industrial work on the ice, and, of course, work to cut greenhouse gas emissions around the world.
Groups like Polar Bears International and WWF put money into research and keep an eye on polar bear numbers. They also team up with Inuit and other Arctic communities.
Local plans, national laws, and global cooperation all matter when it comes to looking out for polar bears.
