Polar bear vs Red Fox

Ursus maritimus compared with Vulpes vulpes

Key Differences

• Polar bear is Vulnerable while Red Fox is Least Concern.
• Polar bear is carnivore while Red Fox is omnivore.
• Polar bear is 75.0x heavier than Red Fox.
• Polar bear lives longer (25 years vs 5 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Polar bear	Red Fox
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Ursus (Bears)	Vulpes (Foxes)
Species	Ursus maritimus	Vulpes vulpes

Evolutionary Relationship

Polar bear and Red Fox share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (Carnivorans)

Conservation Status

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Red Fox

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Polar bear	Red Fox
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	25 years	5 years
Average Length	2.4 m	70 cm
Average Weight	450.0 kg	6.0 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.

Red Fox

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Cyprus, Israel), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina).

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.

Red Fox

The most widespread wild carnivore on Earth, red foxes have colonized habitats from Arctic tundra to urban environments across the Northern Hemisphere and introduced ranges in Australia. Recognized by their russet coat, white belly, and bushy tail. Highly adaptable omnivores, red foxes eat everything from rabbits and voles to fruit and human refuse. They communicate with over 40 distinct vocalizations.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway