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<p>Polar bears (<i>Ursus maritimus</i>) are ice obligate marine mammals dependent on walking and swimming to hunt, find mates, and undertake annual migrations. In a changing climate, it is expected that polar bear movement patterns will be altered in response to reductions in sea ice availability. While the movement ecology of polar bears on land and sea ice has been documented, swimming behaviour remains poorly understood. To examine polar bear swimming ecology, we used satellite telemetry data from 17 adult female bears in the Western Hudson Bay (WH) subpopulation, Canada, equipped with collars possessing GPS units and saltwater switches. Telemetry location and activity data were used to investigate spatial and temporal dynamics of swimming events. Swims were defined based on sensor recording frequencies as uninterrupted 2&#xa0;h periods in which bears were immersed for the majority of the time, sustained thereafter until a 15-minute break in immersion. We identified 700 swim events over 310 bear months. Aquatic behaviour generally increased from April-July. The mean duration of recorded swim events was 9.7&#xa0;h (range: 2–100.25&#xa0;h). Seasonality in swim events reflected typical sea ice availability in Hudson Bay, highlighting the relationship between sea ice presence and polar bear swimming activity. Though location data retrieval was limited, spatial patterns reflected existing knowledge of WH bear migration. Mean swim distance was 8.4&#xa0;km (range: 0.3–42.4&#xa0;km), and swims began, on average, when ice concentration was 78%. Continued investigation of polar bear swimming ecology will provide further context for changes in movement patterns that result from climate-induced habitat alterations and anthropogenic disturbances.</p>

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Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) swimming ecology: insights from Western Hudson Bay

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月9日

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  • Brynne L. Klein,
  • David McGeachy,
  • Nicholas J. Lunn,
  • Nicholas W. Pilfold,
  • Evan S. Richardson,
  • Andrew E. Derocher

摘要

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are ice obligate marine mammals dependent on walking and swimming to hunt, find mates, and undertake annual migrations. In a changing climate, it is expected that polar bear movement patterns will be altered in response to reductions in sea ice availability. While the movement ecology of polar bears on land and sea ice has been documented, swimming behaviour remains poorly understood. To examine polar bear swimming ecology, we used satellite telemetry data from 17 adult female bears in the Western Hudson Bay (WH) subpopulation, Canada, equipped with collars possessing GPS units and saltwater switches. Telemetry location and activity data were used to investigate spatial and temporal dynamics of swimming events. Swims were defined based on sensor recording frequencies as uninterrupted 2 h periods in which bears were immersed for the majority of the time, sustained thereafter until a 15-minute break in immersion. We identified 700 swim events over 310 bear months. Aquatic behaviour generally increased from April-July. The mean duration of recorded swim events was 9.7 h (range: 2–100.25 h). Seasonality in swim events reflected typical sea ice availability in Hudson Bay, highlighting the relationship between sea ice presence and polar bear swimming activity. Though location data retrieval was limited, spatial patterns reflected existing knowledge of WH bear migration. Mean swim distance was 8.4 km (range: 0.3–42.4 km), and swims began, on average, when ice concentration was 78%. Continued investigation of polar bear swimming ecology will provide further context for changes in movement patterns that result from climate-induced habitat alterations and anthropogenic disturbances.