Could polar bears survive in the south pole, and could penguins survive in the north pole?

Answer 1

Probably the answer is no. The Antarctic is a frozen continent while the Arctic is a frozen ocean.

Two species of penguin the emperor and the Adelie breed in Antarctica. Although they do so on the pack ice around the continent, the ice is thick and doesn't break up the way it does in the Arctic. Probably the sea ice in the Arctic would be too unstable and it would be impossible to select a good breeding site.

For polar bears the breaking sea ice is essential for survival, it is where their main prey, seals, make their breathing holes and polar bears hunt by waiting for the seals to surface at these holes. Although Antarctic seals such as the Weddell seal do make breathing holes in the ice, the more stable sea ice around Antarctica would probably be much more difficult for bears to hunt on than the breaking ice floes of the Arctic. Futhermore, for those trapped inland at any time, it would be disaster, nothing else lives there during the summer and bears would starve.

Answer 2

The answer about habits etc. of seals is a good point.

Consider as well that ALL animals move away from the poles in the Winter. Polar bears move across the lands of the north pole away from the worst winter temperatures.

At the south pole they couldn't get very far away. Polar bears are good swimmers but they probably wouldn't be able to swim to the falklands and South America.

Bears wouldn't survive at the South Pole as they coudln't escape the winter weather.

Answer 3

Actually neither penguins or polar bears live at the South Pole. It is too cold, too, high and too far inland to support any life. At the coast of Antarctica there is a variety of life, including penguins and orcas. The most probable reason that the North Pole has larger species and a greater variety of life is because it is much warmer than the South Pole. The reason the North is warmer than the South is that the North Pole is in the middle of a body of water while the South Pole is in the middle of a large continent, and water tends to moderate temperature.

Answer 4

The main difference is that the south pole is a lot colder and has less food, in fact nothing at all on the ice.

The fact that penguins live as far north as the equator would seem to suggest they would do fine at the poles. I don't think there would be enough food to a large land predator such as a polar bear to survive at the south pole. If they could I think there would be one. As it turns out all the predators there are marine.

Answer 5

You would need to know the animals ecological requirements before deciding whether they were able to survive.
Polar bears hunt and catch seals through holes in the sea ice and break into hidden caves that harbor seal pups. As the seals in Antarctica have a different lifestyle it would be unlikely that Polar Bears would be able to adapt quickly enough to the new conditions before starving etc.
For the same reason it would be unlikely penguins would be able to survive beneath the continuous ice sheet of the north pole in winter and the prey items (fish) would be different species, making it difficult to prey switch (insufficient time to adapt ie this takes many generations).

Answer 6

They probably could, seing how both survive in zoos that are nowhere near polar in temperature, lighting etc. Their diet would be a bit off but I don't think it would kill them. Polar bears will eat just about anything and I think penguins are ok as long as it's fish. I don't think either would want to move though.

Answer 7

Polar Bears probably could, after all they survived on the island in Lost ;)

Answer 8

only if there were enough scientists for the polar bears to eat.

Answer 9

Hold on my uncle is a polar bear, I'll ask him....



He said Yes...

Answer 10

Yes, if there was enough food to support them.