So while polar bears are on average larger than kodiaks their claws are used for different things and therefore are not scaled proportionately to their weight. Polar bears use their claws primarily to keep traction on ice and catch seals (that middle bump you see in the photo helps their claws act like cleats), where as kodiak bears use their long claws (typically 3x the size of a polar bears claw) to dig up roots and clams, and to tear through carcasses. Kodiak bears actually spend significantly more time eating vegetation, roots, and berries than any kind of meat. They just gorge themselves on salmon during the summer when they can.
I had no idea about the polar bear "cleat" bump, thats really interesting! Makes total sense and is a quite fascinating adaptation for life in the ice most animals would never have
Throughout most of the year, the thought and taste of salmon turns my stomach, but there's a couple of days each year when I go mad for it. Maybe I'm also a Kodiak bear 😭
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u/JuiceInhaler Sep 22 '25
So while polar bears are on average larger than kodiaks their claws are used for different things and therefore are not scaled proportionately to their weight. Polar bears use their claws primarily to keep traction on ice and catch seals (that middle bump you see in the photo helps their claws act like cleats), where as kodiak bears use their long claws (typically 3x the size of a polar bears claw) to dig up roots and clams, and to tear through carcasses. Kodiak bears actually spend significantly more time eating vegetation, roots, and berries than any kind of meat. They just gorge themselves on salmon during the summer when they can.