Many land mammals are unable to swim since they never had the need to do so. But what about bears? They, too, are land mammals, and considering their overall habitat and bodily features (such as their weight), it’s understandable why you’d wonder whether bears can swim.
But bears can swim. All kinds of bears can swim. These include the American Brown Bear, Black Bear, Polar Bear, Sun Bear, Pandas, and more. But the polar bear is perhaps the best known for its swimming skills.
In this article, we will provide you with more information about whether a bear can swim, why they do so, and whether a human can swim faster than a bear.
Can Bears Swim?
Yes, bears of all kinds do indeed swim. Some of them, such as the polar bear, are quite familiar with the water and are amazing swimmers.
Any bear that goes swimming does so primarily to catch food. Most of a polar bear’s life is spent hunting on sea ice, allowing them to swim freely between melting ice when the temperature rises.
To gain access to the food they need, bears must be able to swim long distances, and the openings in the ice make it simple for them to choose their next meal. Swimming is a regular element of their routine.
Due to their natural movement, brown and black bears will enter the lake to forage for salmon in the spring. There is, however, minimal swimming required. Most of the streams where one can find these salmon are quite shallow, making it possible to hunt without serious swimming.
However, the National Park Service reports that black bears are also more likely to come to designate watery areas where they can engage in play.
In their natural environment, giant panda bears rarely if ever go near the water because there is no prey there. Most of the food that goes into a panda bear’s diet is something that it can get on land, as the panda bear’s natural environment does not need it to travel long distances that take it across rivers or streams.
Despite their proficiency at swimming, they don’t do it very often because there aren’t many benefits.
Bears of all species, including grizzlies, black bears, and black bear cubs, must hold off on spending time in the water until they have gained enough weight. Due to the high population levels in and around these regions throughout the spring, however, they rarely participate in the salmon fishing that is responsible for bringing these species to the water in the first place.
Are Polar Bears Faster Swimmers Than Other Bears?
Although we believe that all bear species are skilled swimmers, we seriously doubt that there has ever been a competition like the Olympic Games for swimming among bears.
However, if there were such a competition, there is no doubt that the polar bear would take first place in every swimming event, regardless of how short or how far it was.
The polar bear and brown, or grizzly, bear share a common ancestor. However, the polar bear’s slimmer head and body (more wedge-shaped – thought to be the result of adaptation to its aquatic environment) and larger paws for moving in the water set it apart from the brown bear (grizzly), from which it evolved.
His hollow guard hair may help him float, and when combined with his thick coating of fat, it certainly helps him stay warm. It has been estimated by scientists that the polar bear can swim at least 100 miles (160 km) in the Arctic Ocean.
It is common knowledge that the polar bear hunts its prey on the sea ice, primarily seals, by patiently hanging around for hours at the animals’ breathing holes. However, it is also known that the polar bear will swim silently toward seals or walruses that are standing on a portion of floating ice and then pounce on them.
The scientific name for the polar bear is Ursus maritimus, which translates to “bear of the sea.” Although other bear species (locally) may swim as frequently as the polar bear, it’s clear that this scientific name for the polar bear was not chosen at random.
Can You Outswim a Bear?
No human being has ever outrun or outswam a bear, and it is probably best if they don’t try.
When bears are patrolling their territories, they are known to swim long distances across bodies of water such as lakes and rivers. Bears’ preferred diet includes fish, which can be abundant in the forest’s waterways; therefore, the animals rarely think twice before diving for their prey.
Bears have exceptional leg strength that allows them to easily swim, whether entirely submerged or just treading water (the position in which the body is submerged with only the head above the surface).
This is because bears can keep their heads above the water even when their bodies are completely submerged. These magnificent creatures are also outstanding swimmers since they can effortlessly propel themselves with all four of their limbs.
While all bears can swim quickly, the polar bear stands head and shoulders above the rest. A dense layer of fat always keeps the polar bear’s fur warm, and its nostrils are completely sealed when it dives into the icy waters of the Arctic.
This is why trying to outrun a bear by swimming faster than it is a terrible idea. Professional Olympic swimmers will have trouble with this as well!
Conclusion
Bears are skilled at a lot of things. They can hunt, climb effortlessly, and run at fast speeds.
But now you know that bears are also great swimmers, although you may not see Black Bears or Brown Bears swim as often as others, such as Polar Bears, considering the differences in their habitats and sources of nutrition.
