Polar Bear – The King of the Arctic Region

The polar bear is arguably the most formidable predator on earth. It’s the largest species of bear and has adapted perfectly to the harsh conditions of the Arctic.

However, how would it fare against the Kodiak bear or the walrus?

This is Wild and domestic, and today we will see how a polar bear – the king of the Arctic region, would fare against some of the fiercest animals in 1-on-1 battles.

Polar Bear vs. Kodiak Bear

The Kodiak bear

The Kodiak bear is the only bear species that could even attempt to challenge the polar bear.

This subspecies of brown bears split from its grizzly siblings about 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age and moved to the Kodiak Archipelago located on the south coast of Alaska.

A lack of competition on the secluded islands allowed the Kodiak bear to become even bigger and stronger than grizzlies. However, could it win against the polar bear?

Kodiak Bear vs Polar Bear size

While the Kodiak is large, weighing up to 1300 lbs (600 kg), and measuring 8 feet (240 cm) in length, the polar bear is bigger, weighing about 1500 lbs (680 kg) and measuring 9’10” (3 m) in length.

It gives the polar bear an inherited advantage in a fight against the Kodiak, but the size isn’t everything. Both species of bear are similar in strength.

The hump on the Kodiak’s back is a mass of muscle that powers its powerful front limbs, making it extremely strong.

There are recorded cases of grizzly bears, which are weaker than Kodiaks, decapitating adult moose with a single strike.

That being said, polar bears are known to kill large seals with a single swipe, so both subspecies are comparable in strength.

Kodiak Bear vs Polar Bear bite force

Where the polar bear has a clear-cut advantage is its bite.

On average, it has a bite force of 1200 PSI, while the Kodiak only reaches about 1000 PSI.

Additionally, the polar bear has longer canine and rougher cheek teeth, which makes its bite that much more lethal.

In a head-on fight, bites are more likely to be used than paw swipes, so the additional bite force and better teeth shape is the key advantage in such a duel.

Kodiak Bear vs Polar Bear claw length

However, the Kodiak beer completely outshines the polar opponent in claw length.

The length of the Kodiak’s claws can reach up to 6 in (15 cm), while the polar bear’s claws are just up to 3.75 in (9.5 cm) long.

Kodiak Bear vs Polar Bear coat strength

Sadly for the Kodiak bear, this advantage is neutralized by the fact that the polar bear has a thick 2-layer coat and a 4-inch layer of blubber.

The Kodiak bear also has a layer of fat, which in some cases can be even thicker than the polar bear’s blubber, but the polar bear is considered to have the most protective natural armor out of all bear species.

The combined thickness of the polar bear’s fur, skin, and blubber would soak up the additional length of Kodiak’s claws.

However, the stockier build of the Kodiak would be better in a deadly wrestling match than the streamlined build of the polar bear.

So far, we could say that these two bears are matched up pretty evenly.

Polar bear most likely to defeat a polar bear

The Kodiak is arguably stronger, has a better build, and has long claws, while the polar bear has a thicker coat, stronger bite, and more lethal teeth.

However, the final aspect determining the outcome of such a fight is the mentality and instincts that are displayed by the diet of these bears.

The Kodiak is omnivorous but primarily feeds on plants, berries, and fish.

On the other hand, the polar bear is the apex predator of one of the fiercest food chains in the world.

It’s purely carnivorous and preys on large animals like seals, narwhals, and beluga whales.

This killer mentality of the polar bear makes it a clear-cut favorite to win against the Kodiak bear. But how would the polar bear fare against the tougher competition?

Polar Bear vs. Walrus

While it’s known that polar bears occasionally prey on walruses, they usually attack calves or sick and injured adults.

However, could the polar bear take down a fully grown and healthy 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) walrus male?

The walrus’s advantage against Polar bears

For starters, the walrus has insanely good defense in its 4-inch (10 cm) skin and 6-inch (15 cm) blubber underneath.

That’s 10 inches (25 cm) of protection, and the polar bear has no chance of penetrating it fully neither by biting nor by using its claws.

The thick skull of the walrus could also potentially take several swipes from the polar bear without much trouble.

The walrus’s disadvantage against Polar bears

However, the walrus doesn’t have that much offense, especially on land.

Their only weapon is 3-feet long tusks, which can definitely hurt the polar bear, but the walrus is rather clumsy on land and way slower than the polar bear, who can run at the speed of 25 mph (40 kph).

As a result, the polar bear could outmaneuver the walrus and slowly damage it with short bursts of swipes before retreating and attacking again.

Polar Bear vs. Walrus in water

That being said, the situation completely changes if the duel takes place in the water.

While the polar bear swims at the speed of 6 mph (10 kph), the walrus can reach the maximum speed of 22 mph (35 kph) thanks to its long hind flippers.

Despite its humongous size, the walrus is mobile in the water and can make quick turns, which would make it the winner against the polar bear when fighting in the water.

So, if a 3-times larger walrus could defeat the polar bear only in water, is there a competitor that could challenge the king of the arctic on land?

Polar Bear vs. Siberian Tiger

This duel couldn’t really happen in nature, because Siberian tigers inhabit the Russian Far East, and polar bears don’t roam that far away from the Arctic.

However, in 2019, a pack of over 50 polar bears reached one village in Siberia and forced its residents to go into a lockdown.

So there’s some chance of these two apex predators meeting up in nature, but there’s a case from the late 1970s where a tiger murdered a polar bear with a single swipe in the circus.

However, the bear didn’t expect it at all, so what would happen if both animals would face head-to-head, knowing that it was a duel to the death?

The Siberian Tiger’s advantage over Polar bears

The Siberian tiger, also called the Amur tiger, is the largest subspecies of tiger, weighing up to 660 lbs (300 kg) and measuring almost 11 feet (3.30 m) in length.

While the polar bear is more than twice as heavy, the Siberian tiger evolved to hunt and is arguably the best extant predator.

Its hunting instincts are unmatched, and it’s known to prey on wild boars and even smaller brown bears.

The Siberian tiger is capable of taking down such animals because it’s geared with 4-inch (10 cm) long claws, 3-inch long canines, and a bite force of over 1000 PSI.

Such stats make the Siberian tiger’s offense comparable if not superior to the polar bear’s, who has shorter claws and canines, but a slightly stronger bite.

The polar bear’s advantage

However, we have to give credit where credit’s due. The polar bear has a much better defense in its two-layer coat and a thick layer of blubber.

It could soak up some of the damage from the daggers that the Siberian tiger possesses.

In comparison, the defense of the Siberian tiger wouldn’t match up to the offensive power of the polar bear.

While this subspecies of the tiger has the thickest fur and the most developed scarf around its neck out of all felines,

it wouldn’t do much against the brutal power of the polar bear.

Brief Recap

For a brief recap, so far the polar bear is much superior in its defense but slightly loses in offensive ability.

Speed and agility.

The final factor to consider is speed and agility.

The Siberian tiger is much more agile than the polar bear, and it could easily outmaneuver its opponent in a head-to-head battle.

The agility advantage would help the Siberian tiger find the best angle for its attack.

Additionally, it can reach a maximum speed of 60 mph (96 kph), which is more than twice as fast as the polar bear’s.

All things considered

All things considered, the Siberian tiger could potentially defeat the polar bear when fighting on land.

However, we shouldn’t forget that the polar bear is more than twice as big and is also one of the most lethal predators on earth.

We think that it’s safe to say that this duel could easily go both ways, and there isn’t a clear-cut winner.

Now you know why the polar bear deserves the crown of the Arctic region.

It’s superior to the second-largest bear species, the Kodiak bear,

it could defeat the enormous walrus on land, and finally, it could pose a challenge to the Siberian tiger, the biggest extant feline.