A male polar bear walks along the edge of the sea ice, sniffing the wind. Then he rises onto his back legs to get a better look. Standing like that, he is far taller than any person you know.
An adult male polar bear usually weighs 350–600 kg (770–1,320 lb), is about 2.4–2.6 m (7.9–8.5 ft) long and stands about 3 m (10 ft) tall on his hind legs. Adult females usually weigh 150–290 kg (330–640 lb), roughly half as much, say WWF and Hinterland Who’s Who.
Key takeaways
- Males: usually 350–600 kg (770–1,320 lb) and 2.4–2.6 m (7.9–8.5 ft) long.
- Females: usually 150–290 kg (330–640 lb) and 1.9–2.1 m (6.2–6.9 ft) long.
- Height: 1–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft) at the shoulder on all fours; about 3 m (10 ft) standing up.
- Records: some males top 770 kg (1,700 lb). The famous 900 kg (1,984 lb) bear from 1960 is disputed.
How big is a polar bear? Males vs females
Male polar bears are about twice the weight of females. A typical adult male weighs 350–600 kg (770–1,320 lb) and is 2.4–2.6 m (7.9–8.5 ft) long. A typical female weighs 150–290 kg (330–640 lb) and is 1.9–2.1 m (6.2–6.9 ft) long. Because the sexes differ so much, every size needs two numbers.
| Measurement | Adult male (typical) | Adult female (typical) | Biggest on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 350–600 kg (770–1,320 lb) (WWF) | 150–290 kg (330–640 lb) (WWF) | Some males over 770 kg (1,700 lb) (ADFG); a 1960 bear estimated at about 900 kg (1,984 lb), disputed (Guinness) |
| Weight when pregnant | Not applicable | Up to 400–500 kg (880–1,100 lb) just before denning (HWW) | Not recorded |
| Body length | 240–260 cm (7.9–8.5 ft) (SDZWA, HWW) | 190–210 cm (6.2–6.9 ft) (SDZWA) | 3.5 m (11 ft 5 in), measured along the body’s curves, disputed (Guinness) |
| Height at the shoulder | Usually 1–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft) for adults (WWF) | No separate figure published; smaller than males | Up to 1.6–1.7 m (5.2–5.6 ft) (ADW, SDZWA) |
| Height standing up | About 3 m (10 ft) (PBI, WWF) | No reliable figure published | Over 3 m (WWF) |
| Tail | 7–12 cm (3–5 in) in both sexes (SDZWA) | Not recorded | |
| Newborn cub | A little over 0.5 kg (1 lb) and about 30–35 cm (12–14 in) long (PBI) | Not recorded | |
Experts give slightly different ranges. Polar Bears International gives males 350–590 kg and females 150–295 kg. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance fact sheet gives males 350–650 kg (770–1,430 lb), with very large males up to 800 kg, and females 150–350 kg (330–770 lb). The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says males average 600–1,200 lb (272–544 kg) and females 400–700 lb (181–318 kg).
Why the spread? Bears from different areas grow to different sizes, and one bear’s weight swings a lot through the year, as the San Diego Zoo fact sheet points out. So treat every range as “usual”, not as a hard limit.
Picture it: a polar bear next to you
Heights drawn to the same scale (1 m = 70 px). The person is an average US man, 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) tall (CDC).
Average man
1.75 m
A typical house door
(rough guide)
Male on all fours
up to 1.5 m at shoulder
Male standing
about 3 m
Weight to scale (full bar = 800 kg):
Adult female: 150–290 kg
Adult male: 350–600 kg
Biggest males: over 770 kg
Sources: CDC; WWF; Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Paler bar ends show the spread of typical weights.
How tall is a polar bear?
On all fours, an adult polar bear is usually 1 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall at the shoulder, says WWF, and big bears reach about 1.6 to 1.7 m. Standing on his hind legs, a male is about 3 m (10 ft) tall, says Polar Bears International. That is roughly 1.7 times the height of an average man.
The average American woman is 161 cm (5 ft 3.5 in) tall, according to the CDC. So the shoulder of the biggest males can be close to her head height while the bear simply walks along. Animal Diversity Web gives up to 1.6 m and the San Diego Zoo fact sheet up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft).
Why do polar bears stand on their hind legs?
Standing up most likely gives a bear a better view and helps it catch smells on the wind, as other bears do. Males also rear up when they fight. We could not find a study that measures how often wild polar bears stand, so take this as the likely reason rather than a proven one.
How much does a polar bear weigh?
An adult male usually weighs 350–600 kg (770–1,320 lb), and an adult female 150–290 kg (330–640 lb), says WWF. The heaviest males weigh more than 770 kg (1,700 lb), says the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A pregnant female can reach 400 to 500 kg (880 to 1,100 lb) just before she enters her den.
That pregnant-female figure comes from Hinterland Who’s Who, which also says males can reach 800 kg (1,760 lb). The mother needs the fat. She will not eat for months while she gives birth and feeds her cubs in the den.
Why does a polar bear’s weight change so much?
Polar bears live on a feast-and-fast cycle. When seal hunting is good, a bear can eat more than 45 kg (100 lb) of blubber in one sitting, says Polar Bears International. Much of that becomes body fat.
When the sea ice melts, the feast ends. Scientists tracked 20 polar bears for three weeks while they summered on land near western Hudson Bay, Canada. All but one lost about 1 kg (2.2 lb) a day on average, reports Polar Bears International (2024). The one exception found a dead marine mammal to eat. Our page on what polar bears eat explains why berries and grass cannot fill the gap.
How long is a polar bear?
Adult males are 240 to 260 cm (7.9 to 8.5 ft) long and adult females 190 to 210 cm (6.2 to 6.9 ft), according to the San Diego Zoo fact sheet. Hinterland Who’s Who gives the same 240 to 260 cm for males. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says males are 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3 m) long.
The tail adds very little: just 7 to 12 cm (3 to 5 in). Polar Bears International says the short, compact tail helps prevent heat loss; see do polar bears have tails.
How big is a baby polar bear?
Tiny. Polar Bears International says newborns weigh a little more than half a kilogram (about 1 lb) and are about 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) long. Females reach adult size in their fifth or sixth year, while males keep growing until 8 to 10, says Hinterland Who’s Who.
The polar bear life cycle and how long polar bears live cover the stages from den to old age.
What is the biggest polar bear ever recorded?
The most famous claim is a male shot in 1960 on the sea ice of the Chukchi Sea, west of Kotzebue, Alaska. Guinness World Records says it was estimated at about 900 kg (1,984 lb) and measured 3.5 m (11 ft 5 in) from nose to tail over the curves of its body. Guinness notes these figures have been disputed.
You will often see this bear listed online at 1,002 kg (2,209 lb) and “3.39 m tall”. We could not find either number in any scientific, government or Guinness source. Also, the 3.5 m figure is a length, not a standing height.
Why are polar bears so big?
A big, round body loses heat more slowly than a small one, because it has less skin for each kilogram inside. That matters where winter can plunge to −40 °C or lower, says Polar Bears International. Small ears and a short tail cut heat loss too. A big body can also store lots of fat from energy-rich seal blubber.
Big paws help carry the weight. They can measure up to 30 cm (12 in) across, about as big as dinner plates, which spreads the bear’s weight on thin ice (PBI). Read more in polar bear adaptations.
Why does a polar bear’s size matter to the Arctic?
Its size makes it the Arctic’s top hunter. Polar bears are “a top carnivore of the arctic”, says Animal Diversity Web, and they hunt mainly ringed and bearded seals (PBI). Leftover seal carcasses feed younger polar bears and Arctic foxes, so one big bear supports other animals too.
Are polar bears bigger than grizzly bears?
Usually, yes. Brown and grizzly bears weigh 200 to 1,000 lb (91 to 454 kg) depending on sex, place and season, says the National Park Service, so most are lighter than a big male polar bear. Kodiak bears are the real rival: the US Fish and Wildlife Service gives males 600 to 1,400 lb (272 to 635 kg). Call it a near tie.
For the full head-to-head, see polar bear vs grizzly bear size, how big is a Kodiak bear and the biggest bear in the world. The two species can even mate; that story is in grizzly polar bear hybrids.
Myths about polar bear size
Myth: The record polar bear weighed 1,002 kg and stood 3.39 m tall.
Fact: Guinness lists the 1960 bear at an estimated 900 kg (1,984 lb) and 3.5 m long, not tall, and says even those figures are disputed. Why people believe it: the bigger numbers are copied between websites without a source.
Myth: Female polar bears are about as big as males.
Fact: Females usually weigh about half as much as males, says Hinterland Who’s Who. Why people believe it: a pregnant female before denning can weigh 400 to 500 kg, as much as a male.
Myth: A polar bear’s weight stays about the same all year.
Fact: Bears on land in summer lost about 1 kg a day in the Hudson Bay study (PBI). Why people believe it: most size charts give one number with no season.
Test yourself
1. About how tall is a male polar bear standing on his hind legs?
About 3 m (10 ft).
2. Roughly how does a female’s weight compare with a male’s?
She weighs about half as much: usually 150–290 kg against 350–600 kg.
3. How long is a polar bear’s tail?
Only 7–12 cm (3–5 in).
Where to next?
➡️ Go wider: the biggest bear in the world⬆️ Go deeper: how a polar bear’s body beats the Arctic cold🔀 Go sideways: how strong is a polar bear?
Frequently asked questions
How tall is a polar bear compared to a human?
On all fours, an adult is usually 1 to 1.5 m at the shoulder, about chest height on an average man. Standing on his hind legs, a male reaches about 3 m (10 ft). That is about 1.7 times the height of an average American man, who is 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) tall, according to the CDC.
How much does a male polar bear weigh in pounds?
Usually 770 to 1,320 lb (350 to 600 kg), according to WWF. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says the biggest males top 1,700 lb (770 kg). Weights swing through the year, because bears fatten up on seals and lose weight when the sea ice melts.
How big are polar bear paws?
Very big. Polar Bears International says a polar bear’s paws can measure up to 30 cm (12 in) across, as big as dinner plates. That spreads the bear’s weight on thin ice. Guinness says the paws of the disputed 1960 record bear measured 43 cm (16.9 in) around.
When is a polar bear fully grown?
Females reach adult size in their fifth or sixth year. Males keep growing until they are about 8 to 10 years old, according to Hinterland Who’s Who. That is one reason old males are so much bigger than females: they spend longer growing.
Is the polar bear the biggest bear in the world?
It shares the title. Male polar bears and male Kodiak brown bears weigh about the same, with Kodiak males at 272 to 635 kg (600 to 1,400 lb) according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Both are the largest land carnivores alive.
Sources
- Polar Bears International. Polar bear facts.
- Polar Bears International. Adaptations and characteristics.
- Polar Bears International (2024). Can polar bears adapt to longer summers on land?
- WWF-UK. Polar bears.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library. Polar bear fact sheet: physical characteristics.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. Ursus maritimus.
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Polar bear species profile.
- Hinterland Who’s Who (Canadian Wildlife Federation / Environment and Climate Change Canada). Polar bear.
- Guinness World Records. Heaviest carnivore on land.
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. FastStats: body measurements.
- US National Park Service. Brown bears.
- US Fish and Wildlife Service. Kodiak brown bear.
Sources checked 12 October 2026.
Keep the conversation curious