Polar bear vs Puna Ibis

Ursus maritimus compared with Plegadis ridgwayi

Key Differences

• Polar bear is Vulnerable while Puna Ibis is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Polar bear	Puna Ibis
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Pelecaniformes (Pelecaniformes)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Threskiornithidae
Genus	Ursus (Bears)	Plegadis
Species	Ursus maritimus	Plegadis ridgwayi

Evolutionary Relationship

Polar bear and Puna Ibis share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Puna Ibis

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Polar bear	Puna Ibis
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	25 years	—
Average Length	2.4 m	—
Average Weight	450.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Puna Ibis

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Ecuador).

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.

Puna Ibis

Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway