Balkan Yam vs Polar bear

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Polar bear is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Polar bear
Kingdom	Plantae (植物)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Liliopsida (百合纲)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Dioscoreales (薯蓣目)	Carnivora (食肉目)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Dioscorea	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Ursus maritimus

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

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.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Polar bear

北极熊是地球上最大的陆地食肉动物，体重可超过700千克，分布于从加拿大到俄罗斯的北极海冰区。是高度特化的海洋哺乳动物，依赖海冰捕猎环斑海豹和髯海豹。是优秀的游泳者，能够横渡广阔的开阔水域。被列为易危种，因气候变化导致北极海冰迅速减少，种群正受到严重威胁。