Which of the senses of the polar bear is extremely well developed?

Living largely within the Arctic Circle, the polar bear is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore. Of the various senses listed, the polar bear has an extremely well developed sense of smell. As an example, it can detect seals nearly 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) and buried under 1 meter (3 feet ) of snow.

An adult male weighs about 350-700 kg (770-1,540 pounds) while an adult female called a sow, is about half that size. While most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice. Their scientific name means “maritime bear” and derives from this fact. The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 pounds), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960.

As of 2021, because of expected habitat loss caused by climate change, pollution in the form of toxic contaminants, conflicts with shipping, oil and gas exploration and development, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the polar bear as Vulnerable. As of 2015, the IUCN reported that the global population was between 22,000 to 31,000.