The polar bear's ecological niche is that of a specialized predator of seals. Polar bears are the most carnivorous (meat eaters) of all the bear species, and their diet mainly consists of ringed seals and larger bearded seals.
When there are many seals around, adult polar bears will mostly eat the blubber (fat) and skin of the seals, which provides a good source of energy. Younger bears will consume the red meat as the protein helps them to grow. An essential part of the ecological habitat of polar bears is ice; they use sea ice platforms for hunting and living.
