Polar bear vs West Himalayan Yew

Ursus maritimus compared with Taxus contorta

Key Differences

• Polar bear is Vulnerable while West Himalayan Yew is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Polar bear	West Himalayan Yew
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Taxaceae
Genus	Ursus (Bears)	Taxus
Species	Ursus maritimus	Taxus contorta

Conservation Status

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

West Himalayan Yew

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Polar bear	West Himalayan Yew
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.

West Himalayan Yew

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

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.