The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large, Arctic carnivoran. It is an adoptable animal in all three Zoo Tycoon games.
Description[]
Weighing up to 700 kg (1540 lbs), the Polar Bear is the largest of eight species of bear, as well as the largest living land carnivore. Closely related to the Grizzly Bear, it is adapted to live in the Arctic. Compared to other bears, it has a longer, more streamlined body, with thick fur and tissue to keep it warm. Although its fur appears white, it is actually colorless. Polar bears are commonly found on sea ice and have further adaptations for a largely marine life. It can swim for days using its large front paws, which also help spread its weight when walking on snow and ice.
Unlike many bears, polar bears are hypercarnivorous, with a preference for seals, especially ringed seals. A favored hunting technique is to wait by a breathing hole in the ice and catch the seal when it surfaces. Polar bears will also hunt and scavenge other animals, such as walruses and belugas, but rarely attack humans. Like many Arctic species, polar bears are at risk due to global warming melting the sea ice on which they thrive.
Zoo Tycoon[]
The polar bear is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon and is available in the base game. In Freeform mode, it is not unlocked until June 1. Each polar bear costs £1,500 to adopt.
The polar bear is a tundra animal and requires a large exhibit with an equal amount of snow and saltwater. It does not require foliage, but likes ice rocks and a snowy rock cave. Curiously, a polar bear exhibit can reach a suitability rating of 100% if nearly the entire land section is filled with rocks: however, this leaves no room to place a shelter.
With the addition of the Marine Mania expansion pack, the polar bear can be placed in a hybrid exhibit. It can use certain toys such as the ice floe, although these are not required.
Magnet[]
Magnet was a polar bear that lived most of his life at The Baltimore Zoo. Born around 1988, Magnet arrived at the Baltimore Zoo - currently known as The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore - when he was three years old. He had received his name due to the way he stuck to his mother's side. He was extremely popular with visitors and would often be seen playing with his favourite red ball. Magnet lived at the Baltimore Zoo for the rest of his life, eventually being euthanized on April 28, 2015, after succumbing to liver disease.
During development for Zoo Tycoon, Microsoft held a promotional competition entitled the Beast in Show. Real-life zoo animals could be nominated and the winner would be included in the game. Magnet won this competition and was included as a downloadable animal. In-game, Magnet functions exactly like a regular polar bear, with the main differences being a different model showing off his cream-coloured coat and a distinct animation where he plays with his red ball.
Although a real-life animal, Magnet is still treated as a standard animal in-game, and as such it is possible to adopt multiple Magnets, including females.
Zoo Tycoon 2[]
The polar bear is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon 2 and is available in the base game. It is adoptable in Campaign and Challenge Mode once a zoo reaches a star rating of 3, where it costs $10,000 to adopt. in the Marine Mania expansion pack, the polar bear gained the ability to swim underwater.
Habitat[]
The polar bear lives in the tundra biome. It is a swimmer that likes a lot of water in its exhibit.
Diet[]
The polar bear is a carnivore that feeds on meat and fish.
Enrichment[]
The polar bear will play with the beef shank, the rubber ball, and the ice block with food.
Shelter[]
Polar bears use the wooden shelter and the rock shelter.
Behavior[]
Polar bears are territorial and do not like more than one male in an exhibit. Females give birth to two cubs at a time.
Zoo Tycoon (Xbox)[]
The polar bear is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon (Xbox) and is available in the base game. It is unlocked at a fame rating of 14.
The polar bear is a tundra animal and is compatible with other bears.
In the Zoopedia[]
- Polar bears have black skin.
- For camouflage when hunting on ice, many polar bears hide their black noses with their paws.
- Female polar bears give birth while in a state similar to hibernation.
Gallery[]
Zoo Tycoon[]
Zoo Tycoon 2[]
Zoo Tycoon (Xbox)[]
Trivia[]
- Despite the Polar Bear's status as a low risk animal in the Zoo Tycoon series, its real-world counterpart is of vulnerable status.
| Zoo Tycoon DS animals | |
|---|---|
| Standard Animals | African Buffalo • African Elephant • African Lion • African Warthog • American Bighorn Sheep • American Bison • Arctic Wolf • Bengal Tiger • Black Bear • Black Leopard • Black Rhinoceros • California Sea Lion • Cheetah • Chimpanzee • Clouded Leopard • Common Wildebeest • Dromedary Camel • Emperor Penguin • Gemsbok • Giant Anteater • Giant Panda • Giraffe • Gray Wolf • Greater Flamingo • Grizzly Bear • Hippopotamus • Ibex • Jaguar • Leopard • Lowland Gorilla • Mandrill • Markhor • Moose • Okapi • Olive Baboon • Ostrich • Plains Zebra • Polar Bear • Red Kangaroo • Saltwater Crocodile • Siberian Tiger • Snow Leopard • Spotted Hyena • Thomson's Gazelle • White Bengal Tiger |
| Unlockable Content | Asian Elephant • Kouprey • Onager • Orangutan • Unicorn |
| Zoo Tycoon 2 DS animals | |
|---|---|
| Standard Animals | African Elephant • Black Panther • Black Rhinoceros • California Sea Lion • Cheetah • Chimpanzee • Dolphin • Dromedary Camel • Galapagos Giant Tortoise • Giant Sable Antelope • Gray Wolf • Greater Flamingo • Grizzly Bear • Komodo Dragon • Lion • Masai Giraffe • Moose • Nile Crocodile • Ostrich • Orangutan • Polar Bear • Pygmy Hippopotamus • Red Kangaroo • Spanish Lynx • Wolverine • Zebra |
| Star Animals | American Beaver • Emperor Penguin • Giant Panda • Koala • Mountain Gorilla • Sea Otter |
| Amazing Animals | Saber-toothed Tiger • Triceratops • Unicorn • Yeti |