We were in a Zodiac cruising near the shoreline of the island of Storøya when Brad photographed this Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus. The Polar Bear is an excellent swimmer and is considered a marine mammal since it spends most of its life on sea ice. These bears feed at the top of the marine food chain almost exclusively on ice-living seals (when available). Polar Bears can survive up to eight months without eating. In the types of terrain found in Svalbard, Polar Bears are very dangerous (can't always be seen in advance to avoid an encounter). They move quickly, reaching a speed of more than 30 km/h over short distances. Temperatures were in the low 30's on this cloudy afternoon.