What do Polarbears do with their time?

As mentioned the male bear will spend 40% of his time hunting in summer and during spring he'll spend 25% of the time hunting.
A female with cubs will spend 19% of the time in spring & 38% of the time in summer hunting.

The average polarbear is most active during the first third of the day, and least active during the final third of day. [????? -confirm?]
Due to the fact that polarbears have such excellent insulation (thick fur, tough hide & blubber keeps their body temperature at 37°c) they can actually be prone to overheating. To overcome this they will move slowly and rest often. On hot days they will swim to cool down. When at rest they will sometimes lay on their backs with legs in the air or in temporary pits.

In winter, however, on cold days they may curl up and cover their muzzle area to keep warm and they might dig temporary dens or find natural shelter.

A polarbear loses most of its body heat from its muzzle, nose, ears, eyes, footpads, innerthighs & shoulders, areas where fur is absent or blood vessels are close to the skin.

Polar bears dont hibernate the same as other bears. They can become lethargic - pregnant females will sleep soundly but are easily roused. Her heart rate drops from 46 beats per minute to about 27 beats per minute. Temperature doesnt drop, or if so only a degree or two since pregnancy needs the higher body temperature. They can give birth during this time.

During times of food scarcity they can conserve energy like hibernating bears.

Polarbears are mostly solitary creatures. There are only two social units - breeding pairs, and adult females with cubs. But while they are mostly solitary there are occassions where there may be numbers of polarbears together in one place at one time.
You may find groups of polarbears feeding together on large whale carcasses or at dump sites rummaging through garbage. Usually in summer when the ice has melted you can find bears hanging out together in groups. Areas such as Hudson Bay (around Churchill) are areas where you can find concentrations of polarbears in summer.[**& island in docco]

Polarbear mums are attentive to cubs often touching & grooming them. Breeding pairs hang together for a week or more mating several times. Male polar bears sometimes play fight - or during breeding season they might actually fight in competition for mates. They may also fight in attempts to steal food. Young sibling cubs will play together - chasing and tackling each other.

For a complex and detailed study of polarbears playfighting at another site, click here

When agitated adult Polarbears will make a hissing sound, along with growling, champing of the teeth and a soft chuffing sound.

Cubs make sounds more often and for more diverse reasons. They can make whimpering sounds, lip smacking and squalling throaty rumblings.
Mothers will warn their cubs with a chuffing or braying sound.

Polarbears will also communicate through sight touch and smell. A mother will protect or punish her cubs by using her body, muzzle or paws. Males will initiate playfighting by approaching with its head down, mouth closed and eyes averted. They will then make contact by gently touching or mouthing each other around the face and neck. They then rear up on hind legs and try to push each other over with their forepaws.

Breeding between Polarbears takes place in April to May on the sea ice. Polarbears may congregate in the best seal hunting areas and this is how the males and female will find each other.

The female reaches sexual maturity at about 4 years old, the males at about 6 years old. Most males won't be successful in teh mating game until about 8 to 10 years old however.

Competition for a female who is ready to breed can be quite intense. The females will only breed about once every three years. Meaning that there are about 3 randy males for every randy female. The males may follow the tracks of a breeding female for long distances, and you may have several males following the one female. This can result in fights between the males over the female, the result of which will leave the strongest male to mate after he has chased the others away.

The act of mating induces the female to release an egg for fertilisation. This may require several days to ensure success however, which means that the breeding pair will stay together for a while. The polarbears will mate with several partners over a lifetime.

The fights between males over the females are rarely fatal but can break canine teeth and leave scars on the neck and shoulders of the fighters. The lucky male who consistently wins may make it with several females in one season. When going into attack the male will lower its head, flatten its ears back and open his mouth to threaten, accompanied with a hisslike roar.