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Kodiak bear vs Polar bear

Kodiak bear vs polar bear
Near enough equal on weight
Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on weight.

A Kodiak bear and a polar bear can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
Kodiak bear Polar bear
Weight 180–680 kg 150–700 kg
Height 1.3 m 1–1.6 m
Length 2–2.8 m 1.8–3 m
Typical lifespan 20–34 yr 20–32 yr

What the numbers say

  • Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on weight.
  • Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on height.
  • Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on length.
  • Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Kodiak bear 180–680 kg
Polar bear 150–700 kg

Kodiak bear

The largest brown bear subspecies, restricted to the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska.

Polar bear

The largest living land carnivore, classified as a marine mammal because it hunts from sea ice.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, Kodiak bear or polar bear?
Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do Kodiak bears and polar bears compare on height?
Kodiak bear: 1.3 m. Polar bear: 1–1.6 m. Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on height.
How do Kodiak bears and polar bears compare on length?
Kodiak bear: 2–2.8 m. Polar bear: 1.8–3 m. Kodiak bear and polar bear are near enough identical on length.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked